Show me the money!

[Upatdawn]

How many F1 drivers PAY for a drive?

[b0rk]

Define pay?

The top drivers attract sponsors that effectively pay the team for them to drive. The lower drivers bring sponsors that do the same so basically every driver is a pay driver either directly or indirectly.

[VX Foxy]

When you say "bring sponsors", it would be interesting to know how many of those have close friend/family ties...

[HTP99]

Technically speaking isn't Fernando Alonso the highest paid pay driver?

[Upatdawn]

I meant how many turn up and dont get a salary, instead having to pay to get in a F1 car, my mates boss has been paying for his lads Indy car career for many years, but he has won once...

[Chris Sideways]

Upatdawn said:

I meant how many turn up and dont get a salary, instead having to pay to get in a F1 car, my mates boss has been paying for his lads Indy car career for many years, but he has won once...

Mike Conway? I see a lot of Conway lorries/Vans about so digging up roads must pay well .)

[Dare2Fail]

Upatdawn said:

I meant how many turn up and dont get a salary, instead having to pay to get in a F1 car, my mates boss has been paying for his lads Indy car career for many years, but he has won once...

If I bring £10 million in sponsorship to a team but am paid a salary of £3 million by the team, am I buying my drive? As with most things it's not really as simple as 'who doesn't get paid to drive'.

[VX Foxy]

Depends if the sponsorship came from the family business...

[DanielSan]

I think Magnussen could be both to be honest, he is quick but the money may have helped to sway the decision slightly. Still not convinced he's better than Perez though.

[jamiebae]

Perez started as a pay driver, but is there on merit now (obviously, the money helps).

The best way to identify a pay driver is would the team have them in the car if it wasn't for the money, or would they take di Resta or similar. By these criteria you have the following for sure:

Maldonado
Gutierrez
Ericsson
Chilton
Sutil

Most third drivers are also paying, van der Garde, Sirotkin, Rossi etc.

Massa, Kobayashi and Perez are in both camps, good drivers who also bring cash.

[rubystone]

jamiebae said:

Perez started as a pay driver, but is there on merit now (obviously, the money helps).

The best way to identify a pay driver is would the team have them in the car if it wasn't for the money, or would they take di Resta or similar. By these criteria you have the following for sure:

Maldonado
Gutierrez
Ericsson
Chilton
Sutil

Most third drivers are also paying, van der Garde, Sirotkin, Rossi etc.

Massa, Kobayashi and Perez are in both camps, good drivers who also bring cash.

Without Perez's money, he wouldn't have the FIF1 drive. They can only afford to have one non-paying driver and Mallya should be applauded for being brave enough to stick with that this season in particular. That doesn't mean he's not a good driver - I think his performance at Monza was gutsy.