Days off in IB internship?

Idk much about Karting and stuff but F4 doesn’t seem far off F1 so you’re clearly very high up? Why not put your all into that. You’ve potentially got the chance to do what many dream of so give it 100%. If it doesn’t work out, you can always go back and get an MBA and do banking.

Just my opinion, but if I had the option to a be a professional athlete but I wasn’t able to give it 110% because I was working my ass of in IB at the same time, it’s smth I’d probably regret for the rest of my life.

Highly (and I do mean highly) group and bank dependent. Are you on the public finance desk at Lincoln? Then yes, you can take 3 days off. Are you doing coverage at a BB? Then no, you taking 3 days off/weekends won't be looked at favorably. Some seniors might think this is cool and would welcome it. Speaking only to my group, this would automatically put you into the no return offer zone for 2 key reasons. 

1) We want to find talent, train you, and hold onto you. We aren't looking for you to switch banks, groups, or leave the industry. We want you for a minimum of two years (assuming you can perform). You telling me you have other commitments at this size tells me you are coasting here and you really aren't all that interested in being here. I can go open the seat to another kid who will be on call 25/8 instead. 

2) It shows lack of motivation. While we tell the interns to go enjoy the city on weekends, there's also an expectation that you're working on your project by week 6 and that you're able to help on (possibly) on saturday or (most definitely) on a Sunday. If you log off Friday at 6 and aren't available to us until Monday morning, that shows a lack of commitment and motivation to really learn a lot in the 10 weeks. 

Other people will tell you this is fine. Again, it's bank/group dependent. However, return offer rates will be lower this coming year unless deal activity kicks off. Why even have the chance of tainting your chances? Either go all in for F4 or be a banker. Good luck. 

Ngl if you tell your staffer you might become F1 driver soon I think they would give the days off + you so nothing as a summer analyst/associate so don’t sweat it

You should pursue what you said yourself is your lifelong dream. If you get a summer analyst role for BB coverage groups, you're going to be so fatigued there's a 100% chance your performance will be affected for racing. I think you should get a job that lets you leave the office early, gives you time to work out 2 hours a day and sleep 8 hours a day. There's no way you could balance both full-time, and that's what banks will be looking at for long-term prospects. If you're in a PWM role that pays decently and has 40-hour workweeks, that may be a better compromise. 

Not gonna lie if one of the kids I was working with as an Intern had the opportunity to compete and move up to achieve one of their dreams of placing into F4, it would be sick, and I'd be fully supportive. Granted, I am not in IB, and the way most of our firms recruit is much different than anything in IB. If it gives off the perception that if you achieve this, you will be out of the candidate pool and no longer interested in IB, then you need to sit down and weigh whether or not you want to go into banking or whether this hobby could become a career.

If this is an example of you achieving some great, i.e., just placing in a sick competition and getting some recognition, but you'd still be interested in IB and still looking for a career, and this is just a side hobby you're good at, I think that would look much better. From their perspective, why would they even take you and spend time training you if you aren't going to pursue their highly competitive industry as a career? 

As an aside, some of the interns in our class have been chess grandmasters, WSOP poker players, professional gamers, etc. We literally sponsor all of these events, so if we were unwilling to give an intern a day or two off to compete at the highest level in some of the exact events we think are cool then it probably wouldn't look to good on us. Granted, we have never had any race car drivers, but the point still stands that if there's an opportunity for someone to compete at the highest level for a day or two it's a unique opportunity.

Thank you everyone!

You can have all the time off you want

But if you want a return offer etc. then no

Really cool to hear you're able to race. Absolutely love cars and motorsport but have never pursued it seriously. At this point I'm happy watching and occasionally karting with the boys. Finance will always be here as a career option, but your racing career is much more of a young man's game. I think you should keep your powder dry by pursuing a more chill role like PWM while making no sacrifices in your racing schedule. You might find a way to tie PWM in nicely with racing by taking clients to a race or a track day. I'm sure racing is full of HNW folks so you're going to be in a good environment to make connections. Seriously, don't give up this dream. Anyone can do finance but the top racecar drivers are a rare breed. I would hate for maybe the next Senna or Prost to live behind a desk instead of behind the wheel. 

I need to go do a track day as soon as I can afford one. If I died without ripping a 458 at Yas Marina IRL and not just in assetto corsa I would have wasted my life.

Being a bit older and removed from the recruitment process, I would take the days off regardless. Why?

Its simple: 

Being a race car driver is your #1 goal in life, your literal dream job. No one (even all of us finance nerds) dreams of being an investment banker. Investment banking is what you turn to once youve given up on your dreams or what you dream of before you have any real IB work experience (you dream of something you dont understand, and dont know what the FT role is like).

With that said, IB or WM is far more likely than becoming a professional race car driver. As someone who has done a few track days and lives for cars, I understand (to an extent) your passion. I cant imagine actually being good enough to be a competitive racer (got into the sport too late in life) but I can tell you if I were in your shoes, I would shoot for the stars and use IB and WM as your backup plan. 

Therefore, you need to do everything you can to try your hand at breaking into F4. Take the few days off to prepare, and if this means you lose the FT spot, well that was your backup plan anyway. Additionally, you can always rerecruit, and if asked why you didnt receive a FT offer, you can explain you had to miss a few days to pursue your lifelong passion. Anyone who doesnt understand that isnt someone you want to work for anyways. 

Best of luck man, keep pursuing your dreams first and foremost, always. IB and WM will always be there, and despite what everyone says on this site, you can break in later in life and be completely fine. I worked at a bank where the rainmaker MD was doing construction at 26 (like as is manual labor, not managing a company), and didnt even get into finance until later in life. Trust your gut, follow your passion. Godspeed (pun intended)

For those recommending OP to go to private wealth management, do you mean a private banking role in a BB?

Thanks