Interesting article that reveals some of the ugly truths of top line motorsports:...
Interesting article that reveals some of the ugly truths of top line motorsports: http://thestar.blogs.com/autoracing/2011/11/drivers-pay-through-nose-for-f1-tests.html For those who have been around racing there is no real news here (although the numbers will bring a tear to your eye) but for the uninitiated, it is a sobering look at the stratospheric costs of getting into F1. NB. The drivers listed in this article are vying for a shot at the final step. The reality is that over $3 million would have been spent (per driver) thus far to get to that level.
I suspect way more!..... I'm pretty sure a season in GP2 alone costs way more than that. Further, pure "driving ability" alone (plus the $ of course) won't get you the ride - These days you've got to be "media friendly" and be "promotable" blah blah. I read an argument somewhere ages ago that someone like, eg the great Jimmy Clark wouldn't make it today as he was too shy, at least in his younger years. Cheers, Ian
Sad but true, and the lower formulae operate in the same fashion. A mediocre driver with money will go farther than a talented driver with no money. Plenty of examples out there.
The ladder series do work if you walk on water. Everyone else is just very skilled as is the other twenty kids on the grid. I call it the Cruel Sport because talent isnt enough as opposed to 99% of the other sports.
The first and perhaps most important step in a young driver's development is selecting the correct father.
Got him into the door but the luck of talent got him out just a quickly (or even faster). And lets nor forget that some sons of never even made it to F1 despite their names: Lauda, Sheckter, Surtees, Schumi III
With 20 spots on the grid, every driver there has to have at least some amount of talent, think of all the racing drivers the world over. Obviously, if there is a huge talent pool, and only a few open spots, then its going to take more than talent to get in. I live in NASCAR country, lots of parents are pushing to get the best results out of their kids thinking their kid will be the next Jeff Gordan, odds are pretty darn slim.(Not to mention, a lot of the parents are knowingly having their kid race illegal equipment to try to score a win, some of that won't fly at the top level.) Taking more than talent to get into the top level I can understand.
