WDC from wealthy background

[CHT]

There will be spike in the number of paid drivers in F1 for next year. I am just wondering in the past, how many of such paid drivers or perhaps drivers from wealthy family background have actually made it to become world champion?

[Websta]

Damon Hill would be the obvious one that comes immediately to mind, but I don't know of any others

[PlatinumZealot]

There will be spike in the number of paid drivers in F1 for next year. I am just wondering in the past, how many of such paid drivers or perhaps drivers from wealthy family background have actually made it to become world champion?

Interesting topic, I think we will find that many of the WC were from fairly "well to do" backgrounds if not wealthy.

[Blue fellow]

I would imagine it would be expensive to go through the go-karting and all that jazz to the parents. The parents would most likely also have to dedicate a considerable amount of time on top of the money to it. In general it seems the wealthy have more free time, and spare money, then someone who isn't living as fortunate of a life.

But I don't know, I haven't gone through it, and honestly I doubt when I have kids, that they will go through it, so I'm just guessing.

[Websta]

Karting is the relatively cheap part of entering F1 - paying for drives in F3 and all that is where it gets very pricey and why there are so many "rich kids" in those lower categories as Daddy's business pays for sponsorship. Some of them are pretty quick though, like Charles Pic.

[rkn]

Nico Rosberg also came from money, but also has talent to back it up. He was also admitted to study aerodynamics at Imperial College had he not gone to Williams in 2006.

[the user]

Niki Lauda, Ayrton Senna, Nelson Piquet - aren't they all from properly wealthy families?

[Lurk]

Damon Hill would be the obvious one that comes immediately to mind, but I don't know of any others

Damon Hill had a name but he didn't have any money or sponsors.

[raymondu999]

Niki Lauda, Ayrton Senna, Nelson Piquet - aren't they all from properly wealthy families?

Senna was indeed quite wealthy. Lauda and Piquet not so sure of their families.

[Websta]

Damon Hill would be the obvious one that comes immediately to mind, but I don't know of any others

Damon Hill had a name but he didn't have any money or sponsors.

Pretty sure his family was quite wealthy...

[Lurk]

They lost all their money due to the airplane crash. Damon had borrow money and worked to pay his races.


edit: from formula1.com

Four years later the Hill's happy home life was torn asunder when Graham and several members of his Formula One team were killed in an air crash. Insurance claims wiped out all the family savings, leaving Bette Hill to bring up Damon and his two sisters in drastically reduced financial circumstances.

[Websta]

Sorry Lurk

[Lurk]

You don't have to be sorry for that: I'm far for knowing everything so it would be silly if I blame someone for not knowing everything.

[lebesset]

Damon Hill would be the obvious one that comes immediately to mind, but I don't know of any others

actually , nothing could be further from the truth ; after his father was killed the family finances took a major hit ...in any case drivers were not making the megabucks in graham's day , and he started by working as a mechanic !

[PlatinumZealot]

They lost all their money due to the airplane crash. Damon had borrow money and worked to pay his races.


edit: from formula1.com

Four years later the Hill's happy home life was torn asunder when Graham and several members of his Formula One team were killed in an air crash. Insurance claims wiped out all the family savings, leaving Bette Hill to bring up Damon and his two sisters in drastically reduced financial circumstances.

Still a wealthy background. Sometimes its the connections that come with the wealthy background that are most important.