buying a seat in F1
Discussion
I realise this isnt something new to F1 but I kind of just accepted that it was only the case with the back couple of teams.
it appears unless your red bull or ferrari how much income you bring plays a big part in if you get the seat or not.
so how much does say max chilton bring to drive etc
who are the payers and who is payed
I assume
hamilton
massa
webber
vettle
alsonso
roseberg
are all paid to drive
it appears unless your red bull or ferrari how much income you bring plays a big part in if you get the seat or not.
so how much does say max chilton bring to drive etc
who are the payers and who is payed
I assume
hamilton
massa
webber
vettle
alsonso
roseberg
are all paid to drive
Kickstart said:
I think you can add Button and Hulkenberg to the list of paid drivers.
I would guess Chilton's family brings £10M to the table - I read somewhere (probably on internet therefore cobblers...) that Maldonado is the most backed driver with 30M Dollars backing
At the beginning of the year it was published that Chilton paid £11.5M but his old man also invested in the team too, as far as I can remember. I would guess Chilton's family brings £10M to the table - I read somewhere (probably on internet therefore cobblers...) that Maldonado is the most backed driver with 30M Dollars backing
Alonso is backed by Santander, so is he a pay driver?
Massa is bringing Petrobas with him to Williams - I doubt they would have picked him if he didnt.
Button is paid, but his WDC bring Mclaren a shed load of (once upon a time) leverage on contracts.
Webber is off to Le Mans, but is bank rolled with Red Bull sponsorship and Porsche backing?
Kimi, from what I know, has little or no backing and guess what? He earnt jack all - Lotus only paid him when all is done with the team.
Money follows talent a lot of the time as well.
Just saying
Massa is bringing Petrobas with him to Williams - I doubt they would have picked him if he didnt.
Button is paid, but his WDC bring Mclaren a shed load of (once upon a time) leverage on contracts.
Webber is off to Le Mans, but is bank rolled with Red Bull sponsorship and Porsche backing?
Kimi, from what I know, has little or no backing and guess what? He earnt jack all - Lotus only paid him when all is done with the team.
Money follows talent a lot of the time as well.
Just saying
I think the significance of buying a drive is over rated. Niki Lauda did it and I wouldn't say he was lacking talent.
As far as I can tell anyone who gets to F1 (or indeed any professional motorsport) will have sunk a good chunk of cash into it. Most will be a few hundred thousand pounds in by their 18th birthday, and this precludes 95% of the population from even considering motorsport as a career. It isn't like football or boxing where you can be spotted by a talent scout at your rough inner city school or gym and swept up into the big time - it's a rich man's game where most drivers (or their families) are contributing serious money at least up until F3, and a good few in GP2.
Not to take anything away from the guys who get an F1 drive on the strength of their performances in the junior formulae but there aren't many working class heros in F1.
As far as I can tell anyone who gets to F1 (or indeed any professional motorsport) will have sunk a good chunk of cash into it. Most will be a few hundred thousand pounds in by their 18th birthday, and this precludes 95% of the population from even considering motorsport as a career. It isn't like football or boxing where you can be spotted by a talent scout at your rough inner city school or gym and swept up into the big time - it's a rich man's game where most drivers (or their families) are contributing serious money at least up until F3, and a good few in GP2.
Not to take anything away from the guys who get an F1 drive on the strength of their performances in the junior formulae but there aren't many working class heros in F1.
belleair302 said:
Grosjean I think receives a salary from Total (France)...Genii Capital I do not believe have any money whatsoever for F1 and neither do Quantum group.
The team pay Grosjean. Total are just a sponsor and they are not as linked to Grosjean as many people think, they sponsored Renault/Lotus well before Grosjean came along.AJS - I think your point is such a good one. I organised a karting party for one of my daughters (tragic motorsport obsessed Dad...) and whilst she has no real interest in racing, one of the boys who came had real talent. However the reality is his Mum is divorced, money is tight and there will be no chance for him to take it forwards.
I remember Damon Hill saying that in order to get a youngster from karting up to GP2 the cost involved was millions and perhaps that is why sons of ex-F1 drivers are so prevalent.
I remember Damon Hill saying that in order to get a youngster from karting up to GP2 the cost involved was millions and perhaps that is why sons of ex-F1 drivers are so prevalent.
Its the same with a lot of sports though. Once you have paid for training, travel to events, kit and everything else, even 'cheap' sports can become astonishingly expensive. Once you are at a level whereby teams/sports bodies take notice things become easier, but at junior levels then things are difficult. Motorsport is one of the most expensive, but that doesnt mean other sports arnt.
It is particularly bad at the moment, caused by the massive increases in team costs to stay anywhere near the top but, money has always been king in F1. As portrayed in Rush Nikki Lauda borrowed extensively to get himself a drive for March, he hardly flopped at the back. Drivers need cars, teams make cars, cars cost money; drivers who bring money ultimately make it easier for teams to survive.
I raced FF1600 in the late eighties, my son has won a 2013 karting championship at club level, and even karting at club level is expensive, we will not be moving forward as the budget required to do a national championship in karts or cars at a competitive level is crazy.......From the top to the bottom Motorsport is all about money.
The problem seems to be that even though there is a Resource Restriction Agreement in place, it's broadly meaningless because the structure of the big hitters is such that they can channel funds all over the place and still technically comply. Red Bull Technology could spend hundreds of millions while Red Bull Racing is frugal. You can't police these companies when their accounting is private, so the RRA is a paper bull.
Unfortunately I'd wager that the costs of the switch in 2014 are going to be quite crippling for the smaller teams, and the likes of Red Bull, Ferrari, etc are the ones most likely to be able to exploit the "spirit of the rules" and come up with bonkers technology. I have a bad feeling 2014 will be even more polarised than 2013 was.
Unfortunately I'd wager that the costs of the switch in 2014 are going to be quite crippling for the smaller teams, and the likes of Red Bull, Ferrari, etc are the ones most likely to be able to exploit the "spirit of the rules" and come up with bonkers technology. I have a bad feeling 2014 will be even more polarised than 2013 was.
DanielSan said:
Difference with Alonso and Massa over Maldonado and Chilton though is that Alonso/Massa's sponsors pay them to be their sponsors. Maldonado and Chilton's sponsor pay for them to drive the car.
No difference at all. Whichever way you look at it it's still a revenue stream for a team.Gassing Station | Formula 1 | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff