Towards a framework for pilot salaries in F1?

La Formula 1 will it take inspiration from North American sports and regulate driver remuneration by setting a limit per team?

We are clearly heading towards it, if we are to believe the rumors circulating after the latest meeting of the F1 Commission. In addition to mentioning a potential engine freeze from 2022 as well as the 2021 calendar, which would contain 23 dates, stakeholders in the premier category also raised the question of driver salaries.

Next year will already see the introduction of a budget cap of 145 million dollars (132 million euros), a limit which will lower to 140 million dollars (127,4 million euros) in 2022, then 135 million dollars (122,9 million euros) for the period 2023-25.

However, these amounts will not include certain expenses, including the salaries of the pilots as well as that of the 3 highest paid team members.

From 2023, however, things should change in this area with the establishment of a framework for the emoluments received by runners. Each team would thus have an envelope of 30 million dollars (25,5 million euros) to pay its two drivers.

A team could offer higher remuneration but any excess of the limit set would be deducted from the budget cap, which will therefore have fallen to $135 million by that time.

The most penalized in the affair would be the superstars of the grid, whose fees alone exceed 30 million dollars. This is particularly the case of a Lewis Hamilton in Mercedes.

The six-time world champion recognizes, however, that the world is going through an unprecedented health, economic and ecological crisis and that F1 drivers must adapt to this new reality.

The comments that the Briton made last week in Portimão (Portugal) suggest that he would not be against a reduced remuneration.

“If you look at the short term, you can see that a lot of companies are making losses or closing down right now.”, confided Hamilton, who has still not officially renewed his contract beyond the current season.

Earlier this year, his boss Toto wolff had warned of the risk of losing the superstars of the discipline and mentioned a gradual reduction in their salaries.

However, it is difficult to imagine in which other motorsport championship the F1 big names could receive higher sums than those currently pocketed. Not to mention that the stars of the discipline will always be able to supplement their income with personal partners.