Viltaly Petrov offering €15 million for F1 drive

[John S]

If this is true it shows there is still serious money out there available to get a driver into F1, does there need to be anymore proof that F1 really is the top table.

I find the comments from the Renault man, "Petrov is not the richest driver we are talking to", just a little bit worrying  - you could buy your own team for a few mill more.

GP2 driver Vitaly Petrov is hoping to land one of the remaining seats in Formula One this year by offering €15 million (US$21 million) for a drive.

He finished as runner-up in last year's GP2 championship to Williams driver Nico Hulkenberg and has been in talks with Renault and Campos about a drive for the upcoming season. His personal sponsorship comes from Moscow-based bank Sberbank and Gazprom, the largest extractor of natural gas in the world, according to Geman newspaper Bild. His backing would equate to €800,000 (US$1.1 million) a race for the team that takes him on.

Petrov is looked after by Michael Schumacher's manager Willi Weber, who stated that pay drivers are nothing new in F1. "Only six or seven top drivers earn real money, the rest bring it to their teams," said Weber. " And whoever starts doing it, needs to keep doing it for his entire career, unless he is an exceptional talent."

In an interview with ESPNF1 today, Renault team principal Eric Boullier said that Petrov's money was not the only reason he was considering him.

"People say we are only looking at Petrov because he is bringing a lot of money, but he is not the richest driver we are talking to," Boullier said. "We must not forget he came second in the GP2 championship in 2009. His talent alone is more than enough to secure him an F1 drive."

ESPNF1, Today

[Scott]

So does that mean Wili Weber, a.k.a. Mr. 20%, takes 20% from Petrov, or the team??

 

[Jericoke]

I figure the G8 countries should be able to support at least one 'pay driver'.

It's more of a surprise that we haven't had a Russian driver until now.

[FW14B]

I am not sure if I am surprised or not by the lack of a Russian GP driver before now.  I think the Cold War had a massive effect on drivers from the former USSR.  However I am surprised it has taken so long since the collapse of the USSR for someone to get into F1, but I think as a nation it had no heritage in F1 and only now with the Oligarchs is there the money to really bring it to Russia.  Even in more established sports (within Russia) like football (soccer) are the Russians really beginning to make an impact internationally.  I guess for F1 in general it might be good for Petrov to get a seat, but I do not necessarily like the idea of buying your way into it.