Ricciardo to McLaren 2021

[DJM]

I agree the dollars are crazy but the best are sought after and so the price escalates until the competition falls away.  Any recruitment activity is similar  - you want the best architect or CEO or whatever then you offer more than the next guy to secure that person.   Good talent commands top dollar.  With sport it’s ratcheted up to a stupid level because it’s a huge business nowadays and budgets and salaries reflect that.  Like any job if you can bring connections or jobs or $$ then that contributes to your appeal to the employer.

[Harsh]

4 hours ago, hugh said:

F1 (or really any elite/professional top tier motor sport) isn't as clear cut as there is typically a buy in/cost to get a seat. No doubt the guys at the top are talented but its more than just talent. I still think professional sports people get payed way too much (hence my system is broken comment above) but I guess good on them if you can get it, I just find the numbers staggering. 

I'm sure most would do it for nothing if it meant they could win, must be so frustrating being in a team who doesn't have a chance in the 4-6 car race F1 has become. 

Would be much more interesting just picking names out of a hat and letting 'amateurs' have a crack........probably get more viewers in

[LeeM]

 Now theres an idea @Harsh 👍

 

[reddahaydn]

10 hours ago, hugh said:

F1 (or really any elite/professional top tier motor sport) isn't as clear cut as there is typically a buy in/cost to get a seat. No doubt the guys at the top are talented but its more than just talent. I still think professional sports people get payed way too much (hence my system is broken comment above) but I guess good on them if you can get it, I just find the numbers staggering. 

I'm sure most would do it for nothing if it meant they could win, must be so frustrating being in a team who doesn't have a chance in the 4-6 car race F1 has become. 

Once you start listening to a podcast you realise why they get paid so much. 
these guys devote their lives to try and get to F1. 
Casey stoner’s parents sold their house, moved the family to Europe and lived in a caravan before he made it. 
There needs to be some kind of return for a life time of effort and the huuuuge gamble that “their kid will make it”. 
I bet there’s plenty that don’t. 
 

I though Dan was on $48M at Renault over 2 years, and I heard a mclaren were paying him $31M - which I’m now hearing people say $42 but I’m yet to hear that officially. So he didn’t take a pay cut. Also unsure on currency And whether the media convert to local $$$ or leave it in pounds. Lewis makes $73M aud. 
 

Everything renault tip into F1 is discretionary spending, so they may have made $120M profit but they tipped $400m into F1 rather than their usual $300?

Mclaren just fired 1200 workers too - their 720s has been a bit of a flop and their dealer model is flawed  

@LeeM I love grass roots racing but in grass routes the people with big budgets are miles in front. and that might be the difference between a $10k vs $40k budget, or a $50k vs $300k budget. Everyone whinges about that in professional sport - hence the every tightening regulations to make the small teams more competitive. 
 

[DJM]

This is what I was referring to, it says he is A$25M per year worse off

https://au.sports.yahoo.com/daniel-ricciardo-mclaren-f1-contract-details-lando-norris-053224137.html

Meanwhile, Renault is looking to borrow E5 billion 😲 from the French Govt just to survive, cutting 15,000 staff, pulling out of China.  I can’t see much if any public support for Renault blowing hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars on a futile F1 program with massive driver pay packets.

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-france-economy/ive-not-yet-signed-renault-loan-says-french-finance-minister-idUKKBN22X2PJ

Its not discretionary when the business is barely breaking even and profits are down 99% (they made $21M not $120M) and reliant on massive govt handouts.  It’s ridiculous spending.....at a macro level, if they didn’t have to pay Dan, they’d have tripled their profit for the year. 😂😂

The company was in trouble before coronavirus, reporting its worst financial performance in a decade last year, with net profit dropping 99% to just €19 million ($21 million).

[reddahaydn]

Well I guess that depends how many people bought Renault’s because of the increased exposure Dan brings to Renault compared to boring hulk! He’s a very marketable guy. 

[TINGY]

5 hours ago, reddahaydn said:

Once you start listening to a podcast you realise why they get paid so much. 
these guys devote their lives to try and get to F1. 
Casey stoner’s parents sold their house, moved the family to Europe and lived in a caravan before he made it. 
There needs to be some kind of return for a life time of effort and the huuuuge gamble that “their kid will make it”. 
I bet there’s plenty that don’t.  

@LeeM I love grass roots racing but in grass routes the people with big budgets are miles in front. and that might be the difference between a $10k vs $40k budget, or a $50k vs $300k budget. Everyone whinges about that in professional sport - hence the every tightening regulations to make the small teams more competitive. 
 

These podcasts are a pretty good insight into life behind behind the scenes for these sports people at the top of their game. One wrong move, o,r if they don't have a chance meeting with someone who has been watching them for a while, or, recommended by a friend of a friend and we wouldn't of even heard of half of these people. All the racing guys talk about the millions they would have to throw in just to get a drive for a season. Incredibly cut throat game they play, no one wanted Casey he was the crash king at one stage in his formative years in Europe.

I had a friend whose son would beat him in many races but didn't "sell the farm", I often wonder if he did where he would be now. 

[hugh]

Just a bit of additional context to the discussion around annual salaries, here is a link WRC drivers salaries for 2020; 

https://www.sportekz.com/money/wrc-drivers-salaries/

[Troubleshooter]

21 hours ago, TINGY996 said:

Incredibly cut throat game they play, no one wanted Casey he was the crash king at one stage in his formative years in Europe.

I had a friend whose son would beat him in many races but didn't "sell the farm", I often wonder if he did where he would be now. 

And fall off Jack "on his ass" Miller is falling off less and progressing nicely each season - just joined the Duke factory team.

[DJM]

11 hours ago, reddahaydn said:

Well I guess that depends how many people bought Renault’s because of the increased exposure Dan brings to Renault compared to boring hulk! He’s a very marketable guy. 

There’s also the 720S company car to replace a diesel Megane 😂

7 hours ago, hugh said:

Just a bit of additional context to the discussion around annual salaries, here is a link WRC drivers salaries for 2020; 

https://www.sportekz.com/money/wrc-drivers-salaries/

Interesting, I reckon those guys have more skill, balls and talent than anyone BUT it’s more of a niche market sport so less sponsorship dollars and thus lower salary.  Danger money alone should put them at the top of the tree.

[LeeM]

22 minutes ago, DJM said:

 

Interesting, I reckon those guys have more skill, balls and talent than anyone BUT it’s more of a niche market sport so less sponsorship dollars and thus lower salary.  Danger money alone should put them at the top of the tree.

 Absolutely. All rally drivers are certifiably off their heads mad! I often binge watch new and old WRC videos, and they scare me just watching them! 

[deano]

yep, knowing how to do the scandinavian flick has to be worth an additional $50k

[LeeM]

 Watched an interview after this crash, and he's so casual with "Ah yes, that wasn't good, but we ok so that's ok..." 😳

 

[Harsh]

6 hours ago, DJM said:

There’s also the 720S company car to replace a diesel Megane 😂

Interesting, I reckon those guys have more skill, balls and talent than anyone BUT it’s more of a niche market sport so less sponsorship dollars and thus lower salary.  Danger money alone should put them at the top of the tree.

I suspect those figures are way off the mark and don't include sponsorship and deals

 

[DJM]

8 hours ago, LeeM said:

 Watched an interview after this crash, and he's so casual with "Ah yes, that wasn't good, but we ok so that's ok..." 😳

 

Stout rollcage, the cockpit looks barely touched....😲

[firstone]

WRC don't have Versacè money and they don't go to Monaco. 

[sleazius]

F1 has been a 2-6 car race for as long as I can remember. Well back into the 80s. Its nothing new, just now there is so much less risk, and the racing itself is often just a procession from start to finish. Mash that up with the fact that the cars now don't have that same impact of old and it all just seems ho hum.

[GC9911]

55 minutes ago, sleazius said:

F1 has been a 2-6 car race for as long as I can remember. Well back into the 80s. Its nothing new, just now there is so much less risk, and the racing itself is often just a procession from start to finish. Mash that up with the fact that the cars now don't have that same impact of old and it all just seems ho hum.

Yes, take the aero off & let them race, might be slower but it would be more engaging.

[LeeM]

 True @sleazius

I've watched some 80's F1 the past few weeks on Foxtel, and its basically as it is now...boring. Sounds a LOT better though

[OZ930]

Take all the aids off them, no electrickery tuning on the go, any adjustments are to be made in the pits, give them a manual gearbox, and I don’t mean sequential either, then we’ll see who can drive rather than point and shoot.

 

[hugh]

One mans opinion; 

 

 

[sleazius]

Who was the idiot at the FIA that came up with the idea that the fans want everyone to be safe, and they want all the cars to be fuel efficient?

At Goodwood FOS last year, they had all of Schumacher's cars blaring up the hill (I can't remember why, 50th birthday or something?). Whenever the v10s were running the crowd would just stop to listen. Even if you couldn't see the cars, the whole place just stopped. They also had a bunch of v12s there too, same reaction (even more glorious imo).

Fix the f'ing sound. Remove the bloody aero. Allow them to race and people will watch.

 

[porka987s]

18 hours ago, sleazius said:

F1 has been a 2-6 car race for as long as I can remember. Well back into the 80s. Its nothing new, just now there is so much less risk, and the racing itself is often just a procession from start to finish. Mash that up with the fact that the cars now don't have that same impact of old and it all just seems ho hum.

It would be cool to see all the F1 drivers in F2 cars, where they are all equal, and see how that mixes up the field. That won't ever happen.

Who is excited for the season openers? Austria x 2, that should be Red Bull/Verstappen taking an early lead in the championship!

[LeeM]

17 hours ago, sleazius said:

Who was the idiot at the FIA that came up with the idea that the fans want everyone to be safe, and they want all the cars to be fuel efficient?

Fix the f'ing sound. Remove the bloody aero. Allow them to race and people will watch.

 

 Amen! You can blame some tree hugging world governing body for that! 

F1 is shit. Period 

[OZ930]

21 hours ago, sleazius said:

Who was the idiot at the FIA that came up with the idea that the fans want everyone to be safe...

That would be Jackie Stewart