As five-year-old David Beckmann sat in the kart for the first time – and was right now. With 14 he won the German Junior Championship in front of Mick Schumacher, after which it went over the Formula 4, where he became Rookie master, in Formula 3 and last year in the formula 2. There Beckmann started first for the Czech Charouz- Rennstall, was equal in the first race in Bahrain’s third, and yet his season ended prematurely.

Mr. Beckmann, he still lives, her big dream of the Formula 1?

The dream still lives, but he is no longer realistic. For this I had to drive another year formula 2, but that is unfortunately impossible financially.

Many racing stables even have a big financial worries and prefer a driver who brings money.

David Beckmann

They were 2021 six times in the top 10, twice on the podium, why were not six races before the end?

The season was okay, although I also made mistakes. But in the end I did not have a budget anymore. You usually know at the beginning that you still have to find donors during the season, such as through good results, which unfortunately did not work for me.

It is said that a formula 2 season cost at least a very high six-digit amount. Without private sponsors or rich parents so no cockpit?

Many racing themselves have ever big financial worries and rather take a driver who brings money. These guys can also drive car, whether they are one or two tenths of slower per round, some teams are not quite so important. It is also a survival strategy for you.

So is only crucial how much money one brings, not the talent?

Initially in the Kartsport not necessarily, the formula 4 is still halfway relaxed. But Formula 3 and Formula 2 – that’s a very crass world. If you have more money, has the better material, better engineers, more test days – and then you are faster.

Experts boast them as one of the largest German talents in motorsport, but it’s financially not enough for the top series. Is not that frustrating?

Actually, I realized in 2019 that it becomes very difficult. But I’m a racer from passion, an egoist in my sport, I want to be the best and win race. So I’m still driving 2020 and 2021 Formula 3 and Formula 2 to open me the door for other interesting series. Because the goal is to become professional racers.

In February, they are now switching to Formula E, the renowned team Andretti from the USA they work as a replacement and test driver.

A great entry for me. Formula E offers a combination of spectacular races, technical innovations and solutions for a sustainable future. The latter stands out for me personally especially because we have been active in the field of renewable energies for decades.

“Racer from passion”: David Beckmann. Picture Alliance / DPPI Media

Your family operates from Hagen from wind turbines. Is your CO2 imprint something mitigated?

(laughs) My dad saves much more with the wind turbines than I bubble. The problem is less the racing cars than rather the drummerum, all the trucks, ships, aircraft that transport the material including team. That’s really bad and very well aware.

What is the solution? Stop driving?

But I’m too much racer. Why no longer electric drives? And always has to be around the world? You could keep much smaller, and it would still be racing.

Was the Formula 2 season possibly already the athletic highlight of your career?

No why? Of course, it is supercool to move in the environment of Formula 1, which was also impressive at the beginning in Formula 3, if you randomly hit a Lewis Hamilton or Sebastian Vettel at the track. But Formula 2 is a junior series, young drivers come and are constantly going there. In the professional race series, the talent density may be slightly higher, because the good drivers stay there for a long time. And make money too.

What do you think: Will you have been the last German top driver in Formula 2 for a long time?

Hard to say. From the talent, some question would be in question, but the most financially not even for the formula 3. There, David Schumacher was the only German last year. The sponsor search is much more difficult than she used to be.

How is this difficult today?

Vettel or Hamilton did not come rich in the past, but they had a lot of supporters. In times of climate change but motorsport is no longer very attractive for many companies. Then the family has to raise the money himself so that the child can drive.

You have a sister and a brother. Was not there any envy because your parents have already spent so much money on kart times?

No, fortunately never. It welded together as a family rather, especially me and my father, who has allowed me everything first. He was already in the Bambini area in sponsorship search.

Many families take up mortgages to meet the racer dream of the offspring.

(laughs) We did that at some point. Meanwhile, I am very active in our company with, that’s my source of income.

You also have investors. Will that meet your money again?

I am convinced of that. I’m still young with 21 yes and just change from junior to the “professional” area. I do not say that I am the fastest, but I know I’m fast.

It was also a hard school, especially for a 16-year-old. Because it is always expected that one is as ripe as a 26-year-old and it can not give enough discipline and seriousness.

David Beckmann

In 2016, as a 16-year-old, they were the latest formula 3 pilot in the world. Red Bull took them under contract, but they were never officially in the junior team.

Unfortunately my 2016 season was not good enough, so I did not come in. Otherwise, something would have become more of it.

David Beckmann, 2016 at Red Bull. Picture Alliance / High Two

They drove even with Mücke Motorsport and Van Amersfoort Racing, two of the most famous talent. What was there to learn there?

I had two extremely experienced team bosses who have taken care of me after mistakes. You learn from this, but it was also a hard school, especially for a 16-year-old. Because it is always expected that one is as ripe as a 26-year-old and it can not give enough discipline and seriousness. Sometimes you already miss the normal life, depend with the friends.

were the young Schumachers, so Michael’s son Mick and Ralf’s son David, not special competitors? Was it different to beat her?

No not at all. We already know each other for so long since we are children. It really does not really care who has the last name. The cockpit is about winning.

And Sophia Flörsch, which drove 2021 in the DTM and gets a lot of attention as a woman?

Again against them, I used to hazy often. In the race you are all easy opponents.

But is it difficult to find sponsors from these three?

This makes no difference. You probably accept any funds of companies that would otherwise support me. Rather, there may be something more attention to the smaller formula series as a whole, which certainly can not hurt.

S voltages, interviews and facts for the new season of Formula 1 Read within new special issue Motorsport of the David, available from March 11th in the trade and App Store. Everything worth knowing about the top duel between stages and Hamilton or the chances of Vettel and Schumacher, for the anniversary 100 years race in Monza or the most legendary curves of racing history. You can also get detailed stories and analyzes for the other racing series such as DTM, Formula E, MotoGP or the classic in Le Mans.