Money and Formula 1: let's talk cash!

Money doesn't grow on trees. So why would this be the case? Formula 1 ? This sport whose reputation is said to be the most expensive in the world, often singled out for being bling-bling and whose dollars flow as freely as champagne on a podium... Pure fantasy or reality? Certainly well paid compared to ordinary mortals, are pilots that much compared to their counterparts in other disciplines? Do the teams spend sums devoid of any responsibility? These are the questions in particular that we asked ourselves. So let's talk money, let's talk cash, without taboo or moralizing posture.

One of the pioneers to have grasped the financial potential of Formula 1 was obviously Bernie Ecclestone. His entrepreneurial journey began modestly with running a motorcycle dealership in England, before moving into managing Formula 1 drivers in the 1950s and 1960s. However, his financial rise truly took off when he became the owner of the Brabham stable in 1971.

The turning point for his fortunes came in the 1970s, when he played a key role in the restructuring of Formula 1's commercial rights. He managed to negotiate television broadcasting rights on behalf of the teams, allowing him to control a large part of the income generated by the discipline. In 1974, he created the Formula One Constructors Association (FOCA), strengthening his control over