F1 2021: New season discussion and chat

[Meister-Man]

Not even Riccardo is likely to get much of a raise after that. That said, there are ways of paying salaries.

Yes, they can get creative with sponsors etc.
Only time I think this could be a factor is if someone like Merc try and lure Max from RBR, they won't be able to throw something like a huge 40m euro at him.
But for probably 18 drivers on the grid it's a non issue

 

[Speedster]

Not even Riccardo is likely to get much of a raise after that. That said, there are ways of paying salaries.

Saracens rugby team tried being creative around salaries and got a big hiding

 

[Naks]

 

[ToxicBunny]

I'm in two minds about a salary cap in F1.

It would be a good thing in so much as the "smaller" teams could also have top flight talent in their seats.
It could be a bad thing in so much as the top flight talent will just move to a different series (like Indycar as a piss poor example) where they could earn more money.

 

[Willie Trombone]

I'm in two minds about a salary cap in F1.

It would be a good thing in so much as the "smaller" teams could also have top flight talent in their seats.
It could be a bad thing in so much as the top flight talent will just move to a different series (like Indycar as a piss poor example) where they could earn more money.

I was wondering where they could earn more money... and I had a blank. I think F1 is in it's own league spending wise.

 

[Meister-Man]

I was wondering where they could earn more money... and I had a blank. I think F1 is in it's own league spending wise.

It is, it's crazy to think that Schumacher in the early to mid and Raikkonen in the mid to late 2000s earned more than the top earners now. So this does show that the sports costs have come down.
Lol actually Raikkonen earns about a tenth now, compared to in his early Ferrari days, so maybe it's true he does it as a hobby.

 

[JohnStarr]

I'm in two minds about a salary cap in F1.

It would be a good thing in so much as the "smaller" teams could also have top flight talent in their seats.
It could be a bad thing in so much as the top flight talent will just move to a different series (like Indycar as a piss poor example) where they could earn more money.

Indy Car IS piss poor. Horrible racing.

 

[JohnStarr]

View attachment 1048945

No he isn't...he's there for 2 years.

 

[thestaggy]

I'm in two minds about a salary cap in F1.

It would be a good thing in so much as the "smaller" teams could also have top flight talent in their seats.
It could be a bad thing in so much as the top flight talent will just move to a different series (like Indycar as a piss poor example) where they could earn more money.

Even with a $25 million salary cap they would still be the highest paid drivers in the world.

Scott Dixon, one of the most successful IndyCar/US open-wheel drivers in history, reportedly earned $3 million base salary last season and his total career earnings are said to be $36.5 million. Scott is 2nd all-time with 6 IndyCar championships (including 2020) and is 3rd all-time in wins with 52, and his entire career earnings are less than what Hamilton will make this year. Over 50% of the IndyCar grid earns less than $1 million.

The top NASCAR drivers earn more than Indycar but not one of them come near the mega salaries of F1. Kyle Busch, one of the greatest NASCAR drivers of all-time, earned $17.6 million in his 2019 championship season. The key thing with NASCAR earnings though, they are heavily tied to race performance as prize money is awarded per position. On top of this their salary figures include endorsements. Base salary for someone like Kyle Busch is around $6 - $8 million but he makes it up on how he performs and how many companies he endorses. So while Kyle earned $17.6 million in 2019, last year he had a terrible season by his standards and only won one race, so he would've been lucky to make more than $10 million.

Notably, both IndyCar and NASCAR drivers earn considerably less than they did 10-years ago. At the peak of US open-wheel racing in the 90s, top drivers like Michael Andretti were earning salaries rivalling Senna/Prost/Mansell. NASCAR had money coming out of its ears during its explosive popularity of the late 90s and early 00s with top drivers easily raking in $20 million+ per year in salaries and prize money.

This is a pretty good comparison;

For 2019, the 10 highest paid NASCAR drivers earned a combined $120 million.

Nascar’s Highest-Paid Drivers 2020: Kyle Busch Takes The Lead With $18 Million As Salaries Stall

The ten highest-paid Nascar drivers earned an estimated $120 million last year, $60 million less than the top drivers a decade ago.

www.forbes.com

In 2019, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel between them earned an estimated $102 million.

F1 Driver Salaries: Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton lead the way

How much do today's stars of the F1 grid get paid?

www.gpfans.com

 

[Willie Trombone]

Indy Car IS piss poor. Horrible racing.

I disagree. It's very entertaining. The Indy 500 is one of the triple crown.

 

[JohnStarr]

I disagree. It's very entertaining. The Indy 500 is one of the triple crown.

If you like cars going round and round then it's awesome. Drivers just put their foot flat and go for over 100 laps.

 

[Enzo Matrix]

If you like cars going round and round then it's awesome. Drivers just put their foot flat and go for over 100 laps.

You have no idea what you are talking about

 

[Willie Trombone]

If you like cars going round and round then it's awesome. Drivers just put their foot flat and go for over 100 laps.

I get it, you haven't watched it long enough to figure it out... it really isn't just about putting your foot flat, there's plenty strategy and skill involved.

 

[JohnStarr]

I get it, you haven't watched it long enough to figure it out... it really isn't just about putting your foot flat, there's plenty strategy and skill involved.

I haven't watched it at all...it isn't a case of "long enough". I have zero interest in it because I find the races boring. Of course there is skill, but in terms of the tracks there's little to generate interest which is why it's very big in America and doesn't have the global following of F1.

 

[JohnStarr]

You have no idea what you are talking about

No, I do. I was being overly simplistic in my statement.
I could say there's definite skill in keeping those cars on the track, and besides putting their foot flat on the accelerator there's slight lift-off in the corners. I could also say that strategy certainly plays a role on when to come in and change tyres. But mostly they're on oval tracks and that doesn't interest me in the least.
But it doesn't interest me in the least. I prefer F1, and also enjoy touring cars.

 

[Willie Trombone]

I haven't watched it at all...it isn't a case of "long enough". I have zero interest in it because I find the races boring. Of course there is skill, but in terms of the tracks there's little to generate interest which is why it's very big in America and doesn't have the global following of F1.

By your own admission you have no experience of the sport. Finding it boring and not watching it translates to having little understanding of it. It's perfectly OK to not be interested in something, but putting your foot flat for over 100 laps? The 2021 season has 11 regular circuits and 3 ovals. It's not big outside America because the organizers have no interest in making it international.

 

[Sinbad]

By your own admission you have no experience of the sport. Finding it boring and not watching it translates to having little understanding of it. It's perfectly OK to not be interested in something, but putting your foot flat for over 100 laps? The 2021 season has 11 regular circuits and 3 ovals. It's not big outside America because the organizers have no interest in making it international.

True
I watched an indy car race at circuit of the americas. It was far more entertaining than most f1 races

 

[Willie Trombone]

True
I watched an indy car race at circuit of the americas. It was far more entertaining than most f1 races

Awesome track. I've missed 3 opportunities to go to Austin so far, would love to go. Indy has loads of overtaking and downforce - just proving that downforce is not the evil F1 makes it out to be. Being able to follow and take advantage of tow is the issue in F1 IMO. The pit strategies have tangible outcomes as well - far more than F1.

 

[RedViking]

I prefer F5 races.






It is refreshing.

 

[thestaggy]

If you like cars going round and round then it's awesome. Drivers just put their foot flat and go for over 100 laps.

IndyCar races on more road/street circuits than they do ovals. This year they will run 3 oval races vs 14 road/street races.

I'd highly recommend trying out iRacing and racing on an oval. Nowhere near as easy as you think and a lot of fun. There are two ovals you can keep your foot flat at - Daytona and Talladega and IndyCar doesn't race at either. Every other oval becomes a test of managing the right front so you don't melt it down and understeer in to the wall. Also when they race in a pack, they lose downforce on the front of the car and they become floaty. Imagine the fun at 300 km/h when someone takes the downforce off your nose and your car suddenly wants to visit the outside wall.