Driver pay $$$

[Wesa1]

I just waned to know if anyone knows on average how much f3000 drivers, GP2 drivers and formula Renualt drivers get paid. (just a rough amount)
thanx!

[Kicking-back]

Very few of them get paid.

Most have to find their own sponsors and take those to a team to secure a drive.

In return there will be a small salary/expenses.

[Go-Pakistan]

There was a feature in F1 Racing magazine a couple of months ago with a break down of all the current F1 grid's pay.

As Kicking-back rightly said, few drivers get paid megabucks.....only the really big names.......the minardi/jordan drivers predominantly bring sponsorship to the team, £3-4 million at least. The drivers get a token salary from the team or sponsors, sometimes as "little" as $100,000, although i guess this can be significantly increased with personal commercial endorsements / merchandising and image rights if the team allows.

GP2 drivers need to fund their drive in the order of £900,000 a season, token salary may apply.

not sure about F3000, i'm guessing italian championship and japanese formula nippon probably cost £3-400,000

Formula Renault budget is from £80-£150,000

Formula 3 (which is probably seen still today as the most important stepping stone to the top, particularly british series) costs around £350-400k with a top team in championship class, National class, £175-250k

I think German formula 3 is cheaper and spanish formula 3 is cheaper still, maybe £100-150k.

I hope this helps Wesa1, If anyone is able to advise better on budgets, please post.

[DanFlag]

I once calculated that in oder to go "all the way" in Motorsport, you gotta be insaleny rich, lucky, good looking, well spoken, well connected or represented, all or the above, unknown factor or else.

Why?

Say you want to win a krting championship in order to go up the ladder, a decent season will cost you 20,000$us &+, you will not have a salary and might even have accumulated dets

Then if you make it to Formula Ford (or similar Fran-am etc...)
a decent season will cost you 100,000$us &+, you will not have a salary and might even have accumulated dets

Then if you make it to F2000 (or similar Fran-am, Infiniti Pro, ...)
a decent season will cost you 250,000$us &+, you will not have a salary and might even have accumulated dets

Then if you make it to GP2, (or similar F3000, World Series etc...)
a decent season will cost you 1,000,000$us &+, you will not have a salary and might even have accumulated dets

Then if you make it to CART, IRL or F1, a spot on a bottom of the field team will cost you between 1,000,000$ & 5,000,000$us &+, you will not have a salary and might even have accumulated dets

then maybe if you win a few race, you'll end up making a salary, but remember what you've already spent to get there

[Kidzer]

Makes you wonder why anyone would do it really!

Having said that, I would love to give it a go!

[flexible-flyer]

thats what sponsorship is for thankfully!

[Wesa1]

Thanx every1 for all the info.
And if anyone else has anything else to add I and others interested would be greatfull.
Thanx!

[Wesa1]

Oh by the way i heard that IRL drivers live like rock stars, are they really that rich?, coz when u think about how many people go to see the IRL races they must bring in big bucks!

[cos]

Originally Posted by Wesa1

Oh by the way i heard that IRL drivers live like rock stars, are they really that rich?, coz when u think about how many people go to see the IRL races they must bring in big bucks!

IRL attendances aren't up to much, but the drivers earn a fair bit:
http://indyracing.com/stats/earnings.php?nYear=2005
(although I don't know how much of the total prize money the driver gets to keep)

[DanFlag]

Originally Posted by cos

IRL attendances aren't up to much, but the drivers earn a fair bit:
http://indyracing.com/stats/earnings.php?nYear=2005
(although I don't know how much of the total prize money the driver gets to keep)

Most probably ½ of that money is asked to the driver from the team just to secure his drive

[Go-Pakistan]

Prize money seems to be the draw for many to race in America.

The skip barber pro series pays US$100,000 to the winner, the series is an arrive and drive package and costs US$50,000 to enter, thats about £28,000.

£28k will get you a season of club racing and a bit of testing with a good team.

The BRDC F.Ford championship is probably nearest equivalent in the UK. I think it costs £35,000 + VAT for arrive and drive and coaching included (maybe a practice session before quali for each round aswell).

Prize is £30,000 and an F3 test to the champion.


Toyota Atlantic from next year is switching to a new swift chassis and a 300bhp engine, the budget required for a seat is around US$650,000. But the championship prize is US$2,000,000 ! about half what is required for a competitive champcar seat.

Compare that to British Formula 3 where a competitive seat for the champ class costs £350,000+ and the winner of a race gets (correct me if i'm wrong) £500.

Champcar budget US$4-6m with a potentially racewinning team/car, F1 budget £5m minimum for a Jordan/Minardi seat with little chance of making points let alone winning.

[Go-Pakistan]

http://www.indycar.com/stats/earnings.php?nYear=2005

thought you may find this interestingwesa1 !