What does it mean exactly to be factory backed?

From what I've always known, they're hired by the manufacturer and either race for the factory team or are sent to customer teams. K-PAX racing in the Pirelli World Challenge purchased the 650S GT3 some time ago from McLaren and have drivers from McLaren (Alvara Parente being one).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%81lvaro_Parente

I'm sure there are contracts for additional support. I talked with Team Absolute Bentley and asked about their decision to go with the Bentley and their drivers told me Bentley offered more factory support than other manufacturers. That would be in terms of availability to diagnose and fix issues that may arise and have access to spares quickly when needed wherever they may be.

 

Take a slightly sideways example of British Superbike racing - one of the top teams has swopped back to Ducati this year - one element of their factory support is that every race weekend a factory engineer flies in from Italy and has primary access to the rider to both help set up the bike and report back to speed modifications

But the rider's salary is not paid by the factory whereas for example several non-works-team MotoGP riders are paid directly by the factory as part of their development ladder

In all formulae thro racing history drivers have been lent by the factory to preferred teams for one-off events (eg Nurburgring 24 Hour) but I don't know whether the driver is then always accompanied by Leena Gade (or equivalent) to engineer

Many contracted drivers are used during the week for customer events so for example Bruno Senna often does McLaren's driver days

 

In some series, factories are not allowed; they are only for "private teams".

Hence the "factory backed" teams that receive technical support (parts, staff), and are sometimes lent drivers as well (if allowed).

The cars may have team liveries but are in fact on loan from the factory , other times they are leased for the season.

 

A 'factory backed' driver is really quite simple. It is a driver that is paid directly by the manufacturer and their exclusivity and restrictions can vary a lot from contract to contract. A factory contract really is the dream situation for most drivers. In some instances the manufacturer places a driver in a customer team while in other instances they employ a driver to drive a factory backed effort. Here are some basic examples:

- Mark Webber is a factory Porsche driver who drives for the factory Porsche LMP team. His salary is paid by Porsche and the cars are paid by Porsche (even if a third party team fields the cars i.e Audi LMP cars run by Joest). When he is not racing for Porsche he does Porsche PR work, maybe some vehicle development driving, and is generally pretty limited in what he is allowed to do without Porsche's ok.

- Patrick Long is a factory Porsche driver who races recently for customer Porsche teams. In this case Patrick's salary comes from Porsche while the race cars are paid for by the team. In addition to a driver the money the team pays TO Porsche includes factory trackside support but the cash to go racing does not come from the factory. Outside of this Patrick is does PR and testing for Porsche but is free to do private coaching, personal driving events, and vintage racing in deals he strikes on his own. Of course the big restriction is that these other events take place in a Porsche.

 

This give a list of Porsche factory drivers for 2016, and names those "on loan" to independent teams too.

These Are Porsche’s 2016 Factory Drivers


2016 Porsche Factory Drivers

 

I know the salaries will vary widely dependent on the series and such, but is there any info on how much some of these drivers earn? While F1 salaries are often published, I've never seen WEC, IMSA, or PWC, and others, publicly discussed. Thoughts or guesstimates?

 

Not what you requested but Google is (as always) your friend.

Race Car Drivers - Page 3

 

Not what you requested but Google is (as always) your friend.

Salaries are not shown for everyone and from whence the "net worth" comes we know not.

Race Car Drivers - Page 3

 

I would put very little weight on those 'net worth' lists. I can say that the numbers are way off on all of the people on that list who I know personally and for whom I am privy to some of their financial details. Those lists are sensationalist nonsense.

 

Oh come on!!! It's gotta be true. It's on the internet! I know that guy was a French model.