Comments on: What's an F1 driver worth?

By: Boston F1 Fan

Boston F1 Fan — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:33:44 +0000

- I have no problem with them being paid this much, and if in the current climate a corporate sponsor is against it, they should pull out. I believe that Honda made the correct decision in pulling out of F1; they were laying off workers, ending the livelihoods of hundreds of people and could no longer fathom the cost of the team as well as Jenson’s exorbitant salary.

By: speedmerchants

speedmerchants — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 20:47:11 +0000

JA writes: Raikkonen’s deal was indeed extended to end of 2010, hence all my stories about Alonso’s deal tere being for 2011 – that was a typo in my original post on this topic saying 2011 – thanks to Matt for spotting it. However, Matt, as to Heidfeld’s salary, I don’t think he’s on anything like €11 million. The figure I got was from Formula Money, which is usually pretty good on these things.

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 19:35:45 +0000

Hey James, I did believe your writing skills are far than the average columnist and even your commenting skills yet I have to say I’m changing my ideas.

Firstly it’s known that Raikkonen has a contract that will expire at the end of 2010 rather than 2011. Or, perhaps you have an well connected insiders in Ferrari that tells you he has just got a new contract from Luca!

Another thing is, the guy who used to get 2.8m pounds in the team is Kubica rather than Heidfeld. Nick got about 11m euro last year.

Guy you are just disappoint your fellow guys!

By: murray de schot

murray de schot — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:24:26 +0000

In essence, the question over whether to reduce Drivers’ Salaries is largely a pointless one.

We should bear in mind that a driver’s earnings are NOT solely dependent on the retainer they receive from their teams in the large.

Instead, their wealth is fortified by personal sponsorship, personal appearances, merchandising and licencing deals and endorsements.

That aside, their day-to-day clothing is profided – in the whole – free of charge. Their watches, if not paid to wear them, will at least bear their name in an exclusive agreement with the watch manufacturer, which reaps it’s own financial revenue stream for the drivers concerned. Likewise, sunglass companies are queing up at their business manager’s doors. The Superyachts and powerboats in the Med will no doubt be supplied at cost (at most!), in return for a few photos and handshakes given out at strategic boating shows. Likewise, the latest private jet or helicopter. Oh, and, of course, the day-to-day car will, quite naturally, be supplied by whichever motoring manufacturer has an alliegance to their team.

Outwith all that, there is of course, the not-so-inconsequential matter of the investment returns that are made through hard-cash millions.

In one interview I read about, in America in 1997 Willi Weber stated in a US Television Programme he estimated Michael Schumacher THAT year (1997 remember!) would earn $100 million!

To top it all, 90% of the grid are ensconsed (or at least registered as living) in Tax Havens.

Don’t cry for the drivers taking paycuts of a million or two. They’ll still have VERY restful nights sleep!

By: Andrew Fovargue

Andrew Fovargue — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:56:08 +0000

I don’t believe a ceiling should be set on drivers’ salaries, provided it’s above minimum wage the employee / employer should be allowed a free rein to work on whatever terms they want.

If the very best drivers carry a 0.3 sec per lap advantage over the field, that has to be invaluable? How much do you have to spend on R&D to get that back? More than a driver’s salary, I’d guess.

Frank Williams had it right in the early 90s though – Build the best car and you’ll get it driven for peanuts.

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 15:45:13 +0000

I’m a big GP fan and understand drivers will always get paid a fortune compared to what we do. But I think it is unreasonable to think that drivers or any sportsmen are above the worlds economic climate.

Companies all over the world are laying off staff and or implementing wage cuts. I don’t see why sport should be any different.

I agree with James that this is a bit of a non story. The super licence does sound expensive. But as much as I’m a fan and love the sport and all that surrounds it, I’m not going to loose any sleep over whether Alonso or Raikkonen can afford their mortgage or put petrol in their car because times are hard.

By: dave the chef

dave the chef — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 15:37:12 +0000

in this year of cut backs, crisis etc etc F1 in their wisdom has reduced the testing, no testing in the race season.
Great for cost cutting , not so great for members of a test team who are forced to take reduced pay, redundancy etc.
Are our so called pinnacle of racers taking a pay cut as they are not required to do any mid season testing like in previous years.
wouldn’t it be great for humanity if an f1 driver gave up a small piece of his massive salary to save a few jobs in his team. Its teamwork i believe, better he spends it on his mooring fees in Monaco.
Long live no testing say our supreme F1 drivers

By: Vincent Syson

Vincent Syson — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 14:39:31 +0000

It would perhaps be unreasonable to expect the drivers to be paid less starting from next season, but hopefully the teams can somehow phase out this ‘super contract’ era over the next few years. I always find it unjust that some mediocre footballers can be paid £80,000 a week, but then again Kimi Raikkonen, who had an undeniably mediocre 2008, is being paid about 6 times that much. Footballers seem poor in comparison!