Drivers who make it on talent not Daddys money

Brock · 24 Aug 2003, 04:05 (Ref:697044)

How money of the current crop of V8 drives has got there on pure talent? Not a combination of some talent and parents money or just parents money? Can't be many I wouldn't think.

Amaroo Park · 24 Aug 2003, 05:53 (Ref:697069)

Not many. probably 2 or 3

Gaz170 · 24 Aug 2003, 06:39 (Ref:697085)

It is unfortunate that in our chosen sport, even the best talent in the world will not succeed without some financial backing.

Maybe someone better than Michael Schumacher is racing at the moment in a 15 year old formula Vee, as that is all they can afford. How does the world know their talent?

Without money, you cannot get anywhere. It takes money to get noticed, but talent to go ahead with it from there.

rdmdog · 24 Aug 2003, 07:23 (Ref:697093)

Shame isnt it, but thats how it is!

mmciau · 24 Aug 2003, 07:56 (Ref:697101)

Generally, on the Australian scene, precious few have inherited the "genes" to be as good if not better than their parent (mum or dad).
Whatever is the chosen sport, the right place at the right time does come into play too.

In motorsport, if the parent was world class, then there is one hell of a challenge for the son/daughter to be as good because they come under intense scrutiny from day 1 whereas the parent didn't become such a focus until they had achieved. For example, the Brabhams - always compared with Sir Jack from day 1, but Sir Jack didn't face intense scrutiny until 1959 because until then he was just a speedway trained driver (self-built speedcars, mind you an Australian Midget Speedcar Champion at 19 years of age) trying to crack it in Europe.

Mike

**GTRMagic** · 24 Aug 2003, 08:31 (Ref:697118)

There are some notable exceptions to the rule, a guy like Mark Winterbottom doesnt happen every day, someone like Mark Webber whose drive and determination overcame enormous setbacks.... anything is possible, some are luckier than others.

If you wander down the FF paddock to see who is who in the zoo, drivers in older cars who make more of them than those with shiny new ones. I could likely find 5 or 6 drivers who if you put them in a Sonic car would do as well if not better (more likely better) than some of the incumbents....

Amaroo Park · 24 Aug 2003, 08:46 (Ref:697125)

If you look at lest say the v* Supercars for example a good portion of the drivers there are there from Dad's dough. If you went through a grid sheet there is an awful lot of money tied up with these drivers families

jetsetter · 24 Aug 2003, 08:58 (Ref:697129)

Unfortunately in motorsport to end up with a small fortune you must start out with a large fortune & the only way in to top level motorsport is with a rich father to finance your career.

**GTRMagic** · 24 Aug 2003, 09:07 (Ref:697134)

I do tend to agree with you colinbond, if you go thru the Konica series gridsheet, it seems to be the same kind of deal.

This isnt to say that all monied drivers have no talent, more that there are talented drivers with no money that never get a gig....

Sol · 24 Aug 2003, 09:29 (Ref:697143)

The best example of getting their with no $$ is Jason Bargwanna. Drove an old Reynard FF faster than it had a right to go and the rest is history.

Apart from $$, the other thing young drivers need is the right people to assist. Not with money necessarily, but contacts, engineering skills, etc. No young FF driver can win without a good engineer.

Amaroo Park · 24 Aug 2003, 10:03 (Ref:697163)

Exactly Sol, but there a very few others. A lot of people have been slaming Thexton but at least he is spending his own money not Daddy's.

How would the Kellys, Weel, Besnard, Ambrose, Johnson, Richards, Morris, Ellery, Dumbrell etc have got on if not for a substantial leg up. Before anyone goes off at me I am not saying that some of these guys have no talent but how would they have gone with out parental support?

There maybe a Skaife or Ambrose racing in Club Cars, HQ's, Sports Sedans, State level Formula Fords. One of the best drivers I have ever seen never drove a touring car. His name was Terry Lewis used to race Club Cars (Imporved Production), he would make Wakefield look dull and boring.

W Fairweather · 24 Aug 2003, 10:19 (Ref:697173)

What is worse, drivers trying to make it on daddys money or drivers trying to make it on daddys talent?

**GTRMagic** · 24 Aug 2003, 10:33 (Ref:697177)

Daddy or step-daddy W Fairweather?? The 2 cases that come to mind immediately are not blood relations

Sol · 24 Aug 2003, 11:23 (Ref:697210)

Maybe, those of us without money and talent need to face the fact that it is only with money that 99% of people succeed in motorsport.

Without the SORF we would not have a healthy sport to follow or work in.

Pity a V8 Supercar is not as cheap as a cricket bat or running shoes.

rdmdog · 25 Aug 2003, 00:07 (Ref:697830)

The only way to race cheaply is to buy a pair of speedos and a pair of goggles!

Then you can forgo many employment and education opportunities because youll be training for three to four hours a day, travel and accomodation costs wont be covered until you reach the top few in your state.

Lets face it guys, racing is not cheap. I spent a while talking to Matt Welsh at Oran and it was interesting to hear the benefits of being a swimmer over a driver as far as Government/AIS support, but initially at least you need the support of the people close to you to have any success at all in any sport.

Our one chews up a LOT more $ than any other though!

**GTRMagic** · 25 Aug 2003, 00:25 (Ref:697836)

The story always went that John Forbes, Rodney's brother and world championship level sailor & Olympic silver medallist, spends close to 7 figures per season on boats, freighting boats, equipment, crew etc etc all round the world to compete in various international championships.

Made V8Supercar seem cheap by comparison.....

rdmdog · 25 Aug 2003, 00:43 (Ref:697848)

HMMM, you might have missed something there GTR, that is closer to what he would spend on sails! Yachating is possably the only sport that would outspend car racing.

Anyone who didnt take the opportunity to look around Auckland harbour last year after the Puke round of the V8s missed out. And only Two teams make it into the final race of that series

**GTRMagic** · 25 Aug 2003, 00:45 (Ref:697850)

Its not quite the sport of the Western Suburbs battler is it...

Burnt Valve · 26 Aug 2003, 07:48 (Ref:699070)

I don't know what is worse the rich daddy syndrome in V8's or the Spoilt Brat syndrome in Formula Ford. Most of those kids need a good kick in the arse

**GTRMagic** · 26 Aug 2003, 07:52 (Ref:699073)

There are some genuinely nice kids (and they are still kids for the most part) in Formula Ford. You might need to stay away from one particular tent where the buydrives tend to take place, but for the most part it isnt unacceptable.

The part I find funny in FF is when an old dunger of a car with a keen, motivated, inherently quick driver can outrace one of daddy's favourites in one of those really expensive rides. There are more than a few of those about, some get a break, some dont.

smoojie · 11 Sep 2003, 05:07 (Ref:714658)

I agree GTR. I know a few FF guys who are really talented drivers with no money,old cars etc but they still seem to kick those daddy's boys backsides which is good to see. But that's motor racing for you isn't it always has been always will be.

noskill · 11 Sep 2003, 05:43 (Ref:714671)

I have a very fond memory of my first ever FFord race, I beat a few in the wet in an ageing RF86 with wait for it 50psi in one cylinder. some would say thats traction control but I think it just made me drive better. I learnt more in that one meeting than in the previous year.

The world is full of talented drivers but it takes alot of money to move up through the sport. Particularly in one where there are no real easy ways to change grades.

carbontub · 11 Sep 2003, 09:54 (Ref:714839)

Quote:

Originally posted by GTRMagic
There are some genuinely nice kids (and they are still kids for the most part) in Formula Ford. You might need to stay away from one particular tent where the buydrives tend to take place, but for the most part it isnt unacceptable.

The part I find funny in FF is when an old dunger of a car with a keen, motivated, inherently quick driver can outrace one of daddy's favourites in one of those really expensive rides. There are more than a few of those about, some get a break, some dont.

I remember the AGP in FF not this year but the year before a young kid from New Zealand did just what you are talking about in an older car didnt he.

jetsetter · 11 Sep 2003, 09:58 (Ref:714844)

Quote:

Originally posted by carbontub
I remember the AGP in FF not this year but the year before a young kid from New Zealand did just what you are talking about in an older car didnt he.

That was Fabian Coulthard who drove brilliantly all weekend.

carbontub · 11 Sep 2003, 12:08 (Ref:714957)

Thats write jetsetter it was FC he had to do it all on talent as well, no rich daddy to back him up there, infact his Formula Renault campaign in the UK has just fallen over due to a lack of funding from his Kiwi backers. Shame really he was up to about 8th in the championship as well.

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