AlphaTauri’s Franz Tost claims all F1 teams are now stable enough to refuse ‘pay drivers’
Franz Tost believes that teams no longer need to rely on pay drivers for funding.
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Franz Tost on the F1 grid (image via IMAGO)
Formula 1 is an expensive sport. F1 teams spend hundreds of millions of dollars every season in a bid to win in the sport. Such massive sums have historically been hard to get for smaller teams that have had to take pay drivers to meet the expenses. However, AlphaTauri Team Principal Franz Tost believes that the era of pay drivers is over in F1.
Tost mentioned that the FIA super license has helped reduce pay drivers who would be eligible to race in F1. Although, the AlphaTauri boss made it clear that if a driver is fast and can bring sponsorship, then it would be an ideal combination. He told Racingnews365, “The pay pilot is out. They are not the fastest and the Superlicense has slowed it down… However, if someone is fast and can also bring a sponsor with them, it is best for the team.”
The 67-year-old believed that now F1 teams were financially stable enough to sign drivers based on merit without having to look into its finances. As such, the entire F1 grid could now stay away from being forced to sign pay drivers. Although, sponsorship money is always a benefit to any team. Franz Tost said, “In the old days, there were teams that, financially, were not stable. Now, we have ten solid teams and nobody needs to lean on a paid pilot. “
F1 cost cap further discourages teams from pay drivers, says Franz Tost
The Formula 1 cost cap was introduced in 2022. The cap ensures all teams have a level playing field with an equal yearly budget. Franz Tost believes that changing the prize money structure and the cost cap will deter teams from signing pay drivers. Teams will try to make their way up the standings for more prize money instead.
Previously, the sport has seen drivers such as Nikita Mazepin and Nicholas Latifi race in the sport simply because of their financial backing. The Haas F1 team and Williams were two outfits that were desperate for more funds to continue their operations. However, with the commercial boom in F1, both teams are in a much more comfortable situation financially.
Thus, Franz Tost insists that pay drivers will no longer get to race in Formula 1. F1 teams are in a much better situation regarding finances with the sport’s recent rise in popularity. However, teams would be ready to sign drivers who have backing if they can demonstrate their talent on track. As such, talent is now the main criterion for a driver to make it into the pinnacle of motorsport.
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Armaan Agarwal
(2310 Articles Published)