Where is the moral side?

[Venom]

F1 isn't what it used to be

Where is the moral side in the winning? Apparently it seems that drivers only care about the money

Mika Hakkinen is the only true driver that I stand behind. A man who would race from the heart. Don't know many others thou

[Guest]

You wouldn't happen to be Mika himself, in disguise, would you?

I don't know that things are all that different.
If you read Gilles V. long lost interview in F1Racing mag, you'll find the issues and concerns of racers and fans alike, to be very much the same today (25 years later).

Sure, there is more money, more corporate involvement, and more politics.

But to be an F1 driver, you have to start racing early in life (T. Monteiro being an exception) and you have to be real good, and have some good financial support. But most of all you have to love the sport and sacrifice all other areas of your life (not unlike any other top level athlete).

Sure these guys make the big bucks, and they will ultimately balance success and money, but I refuse to think for a second that they are not as commited and fanatical about racing as you or I.

They were just a little luckier... and perhaps more talented.

-T

[Spencifer_Murphy]

I agree...quite often the commercial side of things over powers the passion...or it may appear that way, but after so many GP wins even schumi still looks like he relishes every win.

If it were all about Money Schumi wud have retired, he has more than enuff cash, and he has a young family...he's still in there cos he loves what he does. And thats the same for all the drivers.

[DaveKillens]

The problem is that F1 has become a big buck sport. There is a lot of money going around, and sadly, money can corrupt. The moment a driver signs a contract where suddenly he has so much money he can do almost anything he wishes, he changes. It happens in all forms of sports, and we have sadly seen wonderful, almost naive talent degenerate into pathetic images of their former selves. Maradonna is one sad example.

[monkeyboy1976]

I agree. Drivers are obscenely overpaid. The big problem for me is that the guys on the ground (engineers, designers etc..) don't recieve the pay that they really deserve. To get a job in F1 as a designer/engineer, you have to make many sacrifices including pay and social life.
If a driver really wants to get a team behind him, he would sat "Right, I'll give the team 10% of my pay back every year to distribute amongst the engineers etc..." This would be about £1 million. More than enough to give each team member an extra few grand in the pay packet to keep them really motivated. The driver would not notice the £1m.

[manchild]

Compared to football (soccer) players F1 drivers get nothing

I hate football (soccer)

[monkeyboy1976]

Football?!?!? B**locks more like!!!
The most boring sport on the planet besides fishing.

[RH1300S]

I don't see that the drivers NEED to be paid so much, but are they worth it? YES.......

I would bet that most drivers on the grid would drive for nothing if they were guaranteed a winning car. They are competitors at heart, the money is a reflection of their value relative to the small world of F1 not a reward for turning up.

The reality is that F1 is a meritocracy. The best drivers will always get to the best cars and the builders of the best cars will want the best drivers enough that they will pay them handsomely to drive them. Although winning without good equipment is hard, I still believe that without a top line driver the equipment will be wasted.

It has been said the Schumacher is worth 1/2 sec per lap (no need to debate if this is true ) - that in itself is worth paying for, and if that person can do that for 60laps you have gained half a minute from the car over a race (conversely another driver is wasting your hard earned and expensive lap time). Not to mention if that person can find the limit every time they test the car, you know if your development is working or not and if that person can articulate what the car needs to go faster. Again, something heard about MS, he is very good at focusing on which part of the car's performance will gain the most for the effort spent developing it (i.e no point dicking around with tyre pressures if the front wing is missing).

Because the driver is the piece in the jigsaw that has to do it by themselves (engineers can sit around a table and work together) - they are the rarest commodity, so command high prices.

[Scuderia_Russ]

Football?!?!? B**locks more like!!!
The most boring sport on the planet besides fishing.

Although I am not really into my football I can appreciate good games and skills when I see them. I take a passing interest in the Premiership but that's about it. As for your other comments I'm shocked! Fishing is not everyones cup of tea but I find it a great way to relax. Of course it helps if you catch something!

[IMG:894:598]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/ ... Common.jpg[/img]

[monkeyboy1976]

That is indeed a big fish! I guess it was worth the wait.
I tried fishing for a while and caught bugger all. and it was bloody freezing! I guess that sways my feelings on it.

[Guest]

Interesting, but the great Fangio spread some of his winnings to his crew. Even in that era, he recognized their worth, and used it to his advantage.
And I also believe that Shu is as good as they get. But driver salaries are obscene, he makes more in one weekend than most people earn during their entire lifetimes. But it must be remembered they are in the entertainment business, and when compared to high profile entertainers, the salary suddenly becomes comparable. They just don't get up in front of an audience and sing, they race.

[Tom]

Football is dull because, like A1 GP, It is all about player skill.
I love F1 because the drivers do need to be massively skilleful, however the technical aspects add a whole new dimension.
With F1, the more outrageouse design advantage you have, the more increadible it is too see it win.

I know what I mean, II think, well, Oh. S#!.

[manchild]

I take a passing interest in the Premiership but that's about it. As for your other comments I'm shocked! Fishing is not everyones cup of tea but I find it a great way to relax. Of course it helps if you catch something!

[IMG:894:598]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/ ... Common.jpg[/img]

Fed one?

Straight from the drying pond?

Why isn't the net on pic?

...

No offence, just kidding a bit to test your fisherman vanity

[Scuderia_Russ]

Fed one?
Straight from the drying pond?
Why isn't the net on pic?
...
No offence, just kidding a bit to test your fisherman vanity

[-(