Formula 1, Rich Daddies indulging their spoilt sons?
Discussion
NoUserNameAvailable said:
I've seen this quote many times. "The best driver in the world is probably stacking shelves in a supermarket."
Doesn't matter how much talent you have as no-one is going to see that talent without the money to have the equipment to show it.
I was going to post similar. It may be that the most talented driver in the world has never driven competitively at all. Doesn't matter how much talent you have as no-one is going to see that talent without the money to have the equipment to show it.
Its not like football where everyone has kicked a ball about at some stage, and talent is easily discovered.
On the above about football, its very much the same, the money isnt the same level but you still need to be "rich" and very dedicated to get there.
I have a friend whos kid was in academies from an early age, he lives in Burnley and at one point was playing for 3 or 4 academies at one time, I think it was Burnley, Everton, Man Utd and Leeds, Constantly having to drive the lad around, last time I met up with him he said he had spent £££££ on it all and then the time on top. His lad was actually starting to get somewhere and get recognition and then his lad decided he didn't want to do it anymore and stopped it all.
I have a friend whos kid was in academies from an early age, he lives in Burnley and at one point was playing for 3 or 4 academies at one time, I think it was Burnley, Everton, Man Utd and Leeds, Constantly having to drive the lad around, last time I met up with him he said he had spent £££££ on it all and then the time on top. His lad was actually starting to get somewhere and get recognition and then his lad decided he didn't want to do it anymore and stopped it all.
the-norseman said:
On the above about football, its very much the same, the money isnt the same level but you still need to be "rich" and very dedicated to get there.
I have a friend whos kid was in academies from an early age, he lives in Burnley and at one point was playing for 3 or 4 academies at one time, I think it was Burnley, Everton, Man Utd and Leeds, Constantly having to drive the lad around, last time I met up with him he said he had spent £££££ on it all and then the time on top. His lad was actually starting to get somewhere and get recognition and then his lad decided he didn't want to do it anymore and stopped it all.
It's a very different level.I have a friend whos kid was in academies from an early age, he lives in Burnley and at one point was playing for 3 or 4 academies at one time, I think it was Burnley, Everton, Man Utd and Leeds, Constantly having to drive the lad around, last time I met up with him he said he had spent £££££ on it all and then the time on top. His lad was actually starting to get somewhere and get recognition and then his lad decided he didn't want to do it anymore and stopped it all.
When I was a youngster I was spotted at the local swimming pool doing my proficiency badges for school. That took me into competition for a big part of my teens but it was a drop in the ocean compared to motorsport. My parents drove me most places or gave me the train fare for places "up North". A weekends competition could often be had for less than £100. That would barely get you a lap in motorsport.
Guess it's all relative. There is always someone who appears richer but people never know the sacrifices they are making.
NoUserNameAvailable said:
It's a very different level.
When I was a youngster I was spotted at the local swimming pool doing my proficiency badges for school. That took me into competition for a big part of my teens but it was a drop in the ocean compared to motorsport. My parents drove me most places or gave me the train fare for places "up North". A weekends competition could often be had for less than £100. That would barely get you a lap in motorsport.
Guess it's all relative. There is always someone who appears richer but people never know the sacrifices they are making.
Hardcore intro to competitive swimming! When I was a youngster I was spotted at the local swimming pool doing my proficiency badges for school. That took me into competition for a big part of my teens but it was a drop in the ocean compared to motorsport. My parents drove me most places or gave me the train fare for places "up North". A weekends competition could often be had for less than £100. That would barely get you a lap in motorsport.
Guess it's all relative. There is always someone who appears richer but people never know the sacrifices they are making.
Wills2 said:
Evanivitch said:
miniman said:
Take heart in the reality that limitless money cannot create talent, as ably demonstrated by the Strolls.
Lance Stroll is a decent driver. He's a better record in F1 than many before or after him.He should never have been in F1 as long as he has been, and we know why that is. But he's sufficiently talented to have got there in the first place.
Define "money", there are drivers on the grid who come from "normal middle class" levels of money. Lewis and George being two, in both cases their families gave up a lot to support them. Granted their families weren't underprivileged, but they hardly bought their way into the sport. It's fair to say that money is needed to get yourself spotted in the lower categories and competitive karting isn't exactly cheap, but it's still possible to make it to the top tier of Motorsport if you're willing to put EVERYTHING on the line. Most professional sports in the modern world are skewed towards privilege, if you don't have the cash to invest in the training, development and equipment for you kids, they won't get a shot - it's been that way for at least the last 25yrs
My Cousin was engaged to a chap who done well in Karting & Formula Ford... think he dabbled in FF2000 Or Formula Renault.
He raced against & often beat Jenson Button... but JB got the breaks.
The rest as they say, is history.
(Fiance concentrated on his business... & was very successful.)
He raced against & often beat Jenson Button... but JB got the breaks.
The rest as they say, is history.
(Fiance concentrated on his business... & was very successful.)
Edited by Milkyway on Sunday 5th July 18:37
No idea if it is true but discussing this with friends recently someone said at the highest (international) levels you can spend a million to do a season of karting. If so that's clearly going to act as one hell of a differentiator and I don't imagine there is that much sponsorship around in karting.
I dabble in Formula Vee and FF1600 classic (because at my age that's fun, quite civilised, I can spanner it myself and I'm not up against youngers who have more talent in their little finger than I have, or have ever had, in my whole body!). I wouldn't describe even those as cheap, but certainly a lot more affordable for many. But of course not really part of the F1 ladder.
There was, of course, the Nissan Endurance 'experiment' with sim racers which, even though their car was not competitive at Le Mans, did result in at least 2 young drivers ending up with careers in motorsports as drivers who I imagine otherwise would not have done.
I dabble in Formula Vee and FF1600 classic (because at my age that's fun, quite civilised, I can spanner it myself and I'm not up against youngers who have more talent in their little finger than I have, or have ever had, in my whole body!). I wouldn't describe even those as cheap, but certainly a lot more affordable for many. But of course not really part of the F1 ladder.
There was, of course, the Nissan Endurance 'experiment' with sim racers which, even though their car was not competitive at Le Mans, did result in at least 2 young drivers ending up with careers in motorsports as drivers who I imagine otherwise would not have done.
RSstuff said:
It's always been the case that talent counts for little, if the car is off the pace. But with very well funded and supported Verstappen and now Antonelli running away with championships, what's the chance of the likes of Nigel Mansell and James Hunt getting to the top now?
I think Esteban Ocon is a current example of getting to the top without heavy funding. His parents sold their house, IINM, to support his career and they lived in a caravan.
RSstuff said:
It's always been the case that talent counts for little, if the car is off the pace. But with very well funded and supported Verstappen and now Antonelli running away with championships, what's the chance of the likes of Nigel Mansell and James Hunt getting to the top now?
Who was the last Champion to come from regular means? I'd guess it's probably Hamilton. I wonder if he would have made it if he was 8 years old today. Probably not I'd guess. Wouldn't matter how many jobs his dad worked.
the-norseman said:
On the above about football, its very much the same, the money isnt the same level but you still need to be "rich" and very dedicated to get there.
I have a friend whos kid was in academies from an early age, he lives in Burnley and at one point was playing for 3 or 4 academies at one time, I think it was Burnley, Everton, Man Utd and Leeds, Constantly having to drive the lad around, last time I met up with him he said he had spent £££££ on it all and then the time on top. His lad was actually starting to get somewhere and get recognition and then his lad decided he didn't want to do it anymore and stopped it all.
It's not the same. You could easily do all that and spend less in a year than a top level kid will spend in a weekend motor racing, by several factors no doubt. I have a friend whos kid was in academies from an early age, he lives in Burnley and at one point was playing for 3 or 4 academies at one time, I think it was Burnley, Everton, Man Utd and Leeds, Constantly having to drive the lad around, last time I met up with him he said he had spent £££££ on it all and then the time on top. His lad was actually starting to get somewhere and get recognition and then his lad decided he didn't want to do it anymore and stopped it all.
hondajack85 said:
Willy wonka and the golden f1 ticket seems to be the dream.
What I find odd is some cheap sport like tennis seems to be fenced off from normal people without lots of money.
State Schools should be ashamed of themselves.
You've no idea about state schools then. What I find odd is some cheap sport like tennis seems to be fenced off from normal people without lots of money.
State Schools should be ashamed of themselves.
Ineos have just pulled a bit of funding to my OHs school. So she's just told 2 teaching assistants they don't have a job in September.
Laughable that you think they'd have enough for a tennis court.
Its a Rich mans sport, always has been since the invention of the automobile, its just now you need to be super rich rather then a plain old millionaire.
Nigel was an anomaly even in his day. I guess with Karting costing so much or even a season in Ginettas unless your amazing at picking up sponsors you've gotta have a rich backer.
Take everyone's favourite punch bag Stroll. But he is no slouch, he has beaten drivers all the way through his career and when it rains he'll be faster then Alonso.
The drivers might come from the most wealth ever but they are also the fastest drivers we've ever seen and the trend in 20 years is even richer kids coming through and would make todays guys look average.
Nigel was an anomaly even in his day. I guess with Karting costing so much or even a season in Ginettas unless your amazing at picking up sponsors you've gotta have a rich backer.
Take everyone's favourite punch bag Stroll. But he is no slouch, he has beaten drivers all the way through his career and when it rains he'll be faster then Alonso.
The drivers might come from the most wealth ever but they are also the fastest drivers we've ever seen and the trend in 20 years is even richer kids coming through and would make todays guys look average.
_Rodders_ said:
Who was the last Champion to come from regular means? I'd guess it's probably Hamilton.
I wonder if he would have made it if he was 8 years old today. Probably not I'd guess. Wouldn't matter how many jobs his dad worked.
I stand to be corrected, but I don't think either Vettel's or Raikkonen's parents were particularly rich.I wonder if he would have made it if he was 8 years old today. Probably not I'd guess. Wouldn't matter how many jobs his dad worked.
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