Under discussion for several years, the subject of the salary cap for Formula 1 drivers and important members of Formula 1 teams is once once more in the news. The latest information showed the desire to set up as early as 2023 a limit of $30 million for the duo of titular pilots. However, several problems remain.
First, some pilots earn more than this limit. Second, the contracts of other drivers extend beyond the 2023 season. In the case of Max Verstappenthe two points are reunited since the reigning World Champion recently extended with Red Bull Racing until 2028 by signing a new contract which, according to some rumors, would offer him 50 million euros a year.
Interviewed during the Friday conference at Azerbaijan Grand PrixVerstappen indicated that he was “unfair” to set up a salary cap given the good financial health of the championship and the impact it might have on the careers of young drivers.
“SIn my opinion, it’s completely unfair because at the moment F1 is becoming more and more popular and everyone is making more and more money, including the teams and the FOM.commented the Dutchman. “Everyone benefits, so why would pilots, with their rights and all, be capped? They are the ones who create the show and put their lives on the line. So to me, it’s completely unfair.”
“In all junior categories, [beaucoup] drivers have a sponsor or support who will end up getting a certain percentage of their income when they are in F1 or elsewhere”he added. “I think that [le plafond salarial] will greatly limit [les soutiens financiers] because they will never have their return on investment. And the cap is going to hurt all the junior categories as well, I don’t think that’s desirable.”
And Verstappen’s opinion on young drivers is shared by Lando Norris. “I think what [Verstappen] said is right”said the pilot McLaren. “Especially on the part of investments in young drivers. It’s already difficult to arrive in F1 so as soon as a driver gets support or investors, they will obviously want to review their money at some point, and it will be necessary to do that.”
“And [les salaires] are capped, it will be much more difficult or it will be much less interesting for people to invest in young drivers to give them a chance to get into F1 in the first place. So I think that’s one of the main points.”
With Adam Cooper
