Why are F1 drivers so highly paid?

[Wizzo]

This video captures the essence of what its like to be an F1 driver better than any other I've ever seen. Take a look and let me know what you think.

[Dare]

nice vid Wiz,does'nt look like so
much fun there,does it

[romephius]

Damn good video there, I know that some people find it hard to drive 300km in there car in 1 sitting barely getting .5g's lateral load on the tightest corners.....how must it be doing that distance constantly hitting 4+ g's...... very enlightening video Wiz... Kudos

Rom 

[Monty]

Doesn't answer why they are paid so much. I would do it for free. My only problem is a severe lack of talent and too may years on the clock!

[SennaMan]

Probably because at any one time say about one hundred humans world-wide are talented enough to drive a F1 car and of these only about 30 or so get paid to do it! 

[Dare]

Doesn't answer why they are paid so much. I would do it for free. My only problem is a severe lack of talent and too may years on the clock!

50's thru the mid 90's that may have been
the case,but with all theaids I don't believe
that is the case now.

A few years ago Juan Pablo and Jeff Gordon
swapped cars and Robby turned in some
respectable times.  We'll we all know what happened to Juan

[Steven Roy]

Regardless of all the physical loads a few get paid obscene amounts of money because they are faster or better than the rest.  Nothing to do with bravery, fitness or anything else.  Only the quick and the perceived to be quick make money

[Ian]

As Tiff Needel said on the vid, with the cars now, most drivers can get within a second of Michael Schumacher, but it's finding that last second that seperates the best from the rest.

[Scott]

A few years ago Juan Pablo and Jeff Gordon
swapped cars and Robby turned in some
respectable times.  We'll we all know what happened to Juan

Robby probably would have turned an even better time than Jeff, since he has such a variety of experience (Rally, Open wheel and NASCAR).

They get paid so much money because there are stupid people willing to PAY them so much money - like anything.  Can't blame it on the drivers, can you?  I like to get paid as much as I can get, so do they.

[John S]

You're so right Scotty it's certainly not the drivers fault for accepting multi million deals any of us would if given the chance.
Those last few tenths of a second separate the truly great drivers from the good ones. We can speculate all we like but it is a supposed to be competetive after all so it's results that count between the real champs and the also rans.
Did anyone else happen to see the Hamsters embarrissingly crap try out in the Renault on Top Gear?

[Ian]

Yees, made a bit of a hash up did'nt he.

[Alianora La Canta]

Didn't he set a record for most number of consecutive stalls in an F1 car ( 8 ), completely by accident?

By the way, Richard got another go in an F1 car today. Luckily, it was the Paul O'Grady Show and the F1 car turned out to be a simulator rig. For some reason, Richard didn't stall that car. He also won a race round a lap of Monaco against Paul O'Grady despite doing a Schumacher/Raikkonen at Rascasse and then attempting to go back round Monaco the wrong way. Not content with losing the race, Paul also managed to get firmly wedged into his simulator car and had to be removed from it some point during the ad break...

[John S]

 Why am I getting flashbacks to Mansell in the Maclaren in his supposed comeback year.