Racing only for the wealthy

[Monty]

https://www.planetf1.com/news/hamilton-working-class-losing-out-to-f1s-wealthy-kids/

This is of course absolutely true, but I think it has always been true. F1 started with 'gentlemen racers'. Hamilton was an example of someone getting a lucky break - both of my kids beat Lewis at Rye House during the years when they were all 8 to 10. But unlike Anthony Hamilton I didn't mortgage my house to keep my kids racing. Lewis has always acknowledged that without his Dad's sacrifices (and then a very lucky chance meeting with Ron Dennis) he would never have made it (this was also true of Nigel Mansell and Jenson Button). Even back in those days you could see families like mine putting all of our spare cash into letting the kids experience racing while other kids turned up with a full support team, multiple chassis & engine combinations and pushy parents! Certainly here in the UK, if you visit any serious motor racing series you will find most of the young drivers have significant financial support from wealthy parents; and they need it! Even Ginetta Juniors (one make series aimed at kids coming up from karting) costs about £60,000 per year and I am told that (although it is a 'controlled' series) more money will gain lap times!
If Lewis can influence a fixed cost starter series - good luck to him! I now have Grandchildren and their parents want them to go into karting. The Kadet class is meant to be 'cheap' but although the engines are sealed, you can still spend thousands of pounds on choice of chassis and set-up. As I will be the only 'sponsor' it is obvious that they are unlikely to future World champions!

[cosworth151]

That has always been a problem. Every series, no matter how low cost it's meant to be, seems to quickly turn into a big money arms race.

One thing that many entry level series here in the States use to keep costs down is a "claimer" rule. They are most often used on engines.

At the end of a race, any competitor can "claim" another car's engine for a fixed price set in the rules. For some low budget Street Stock (or Bomber) series, that can be as low as $500. Some series have had claimer rules for other assemblies, including entire cars. This does wonders in keeping costs down.

[Scott]

I totally agree.  I would think that it would be in the upper racing leagues Best interest (F1, F2, Indycar, Touringcar Championships, etc, right down to Superkarts) to sponsor complete spec series with minimal budgets and identical cars and support so they could identify talent instead of wealth.

[Jericoke]

I don't know that the FIA can really do anything about it.  People with money will continue to support a 'pay to win' system.  While we see the FIA as a racing organization, that's really a minor part of what they're doing, and where their money should be going.

What I'd like to see is that FIA champions (both teams and drivers) are required to provide well funded/organized junior series.  They're the ones making money off the whole venture, so why not give back a little?  The series wouldn't provide just sealed single make cars, but experienced mechanics, managers and driving instructors so kids get a feel for what racing should be.  As the article points out, it's not just money, but also having parents who know what to do.

Of course, the FOM/Liberty should be doing this too.  They have the greatest interest in developing future talent.

[Monty]

There needs to be more focus on 'controlled' one supplier series from Karts, through junior single seater and tin-top series and these need to be part of the support package for the really big meetings (F1; WTC; BTCC; DTM, etc.) so the drivers can get 'noticed'. Ironically, there are actually too many race series out there which means talent sometimes goes un-noticed. I will watch anything with an engine and wheels. I see karts (Bambino; Cadett; TKM; Rotax Mini; Rotax Junior; Rotax Max; X30; KZ Shifter: etc., etc.) -> I see Clubman races (Classic Mini; Mini Se7en; Cooper; JC Works; Puma; Fiesta; MG; Vauxhall; Renault; etc., etc.) -> I see single seater racing (Formula Ford 1600; Formula Ford 2000, Formula Renault; Formula Renault 3.5, Formula's 4,3 & 2: etc., etc.).
They are all expensive (I have checked and raced in a few of them) and most of them get no press coverage let alone TV coverage. There are some really talented racing drivers in these series that (due to lack of funds) never get a break to move into 'professional' racing (I was obviously one  )

[Alianora La Canta]

There have been better and worse eras for the middle classes to get involved. Now is bad and the 1980s was perhaps when it was at its best. This is a combination of cheap karting, paid junior series seats for the lucky and generous sponsorship.

The FIA tried this with F2 in 2009. It was too expensive and didn't prepare drivers for F1. Hamilton would struggle to do worse.

Claiming is a great idea. Spec karts that are kept by the venue or organiser (with as few mods as possible to still provide progression) is also useful. But access to basic opportunities to improve and opportunities to get money without relying on commercial sponsors are the most important - and most elusive.