Is the 'mercenary' era in Formula 1 coming to an end?
In the past in Formula 1, drivers with significant private wealth or backing from major sponsors were able to buy race seats in teams at the lower end of the standings. However, the widespread use of the FIA super license point, which requires a driver to collect 1 points based on finishing positions in other categories in order to compete in F40, and the commercial boom the series is currently experiencing have reduced the need for 'paid drivers'.
Williams team boss James Vowles thinks F1 needs a “rethink” on the calendar, budget cap and how sprint weekends with just a single practice session discourage hiring a rookie driver, while he thinks the championship has evolved to no longer be based on wealth rather than talent.
“The gap between us in the constructors’ championship is milliseconds at times, so you want to have drivers who are performing at the highest level in the car, it’s a meritocracy,” Vowles said.
“So it's not just about making a few million to satisfy the bottom line.”
“A few million are already coming from the constructors' championship if you win a few places over your opponents. I think it has been a positive change for the sport.”
Vowles added that teams investing in lower series to ensure less-funded drivers have a realistic chance in F1 has helped F1 move away from the 'money driver' model.
Vowles continued: “What you see now is that we are investing in young people, including us, up to the level of karting and paying for their promotion.”
“But the key is for teams to invest in creating a meritocracy from the lower levels that will enable them to be experienced individuals when they come to us.”
"So it's not like rookie drivers are dead, you can't imagine something like that, but I think that concept, of charging a few million to put someone in the car, is not the way we can perform these days, otherwise you fall behind."
“The mercenary driver job is over,” said Franz Tost, AlphaTauri's former team principal. said.
“First of all, most of the time the paid driver is not the fastest driver and the FIA stopped that with the Super Licence.”
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner added: “There used to be teams that were not financially stable.”
“We have 10 very solid teams here now, so no one needs to rely on a paid driver at the moment because Formula 1 is in a very good place.”
