At our motor club dinner we had John Cleland as our guest speaker. He was excellent.
He noted that in his day, which was not that long ago, all the drivers in the BTCC were paid to drive but now none are paid. Virtually all the current BTCC drivers pay to drive the cars by briinging their own sponsorship or money, even the likes of Jason Plato.
It did make me think as to how many current British drivers are paid to race or rally? Probably many fewer than 20 or 30 years ago! Button, Hamilton, McNish, Smith and perhaps a few others in sports cars. A couple in rallying at WRC or IRC level. A few Brits in German touring cars and a few who race in the USA.
Given the large number of wannabes there are in karting and the various "feeder" race series it would seem there is virtually no hope for them to getting a paid drive at the end of it.
Have we seem the best years of "professional" racing and rally drivers?
Full Version: Professional drivers
As with a great many things in life, it's a question of supply and demand. If teams and manufacturers can get away with demanding that drivers bring money or sponsorship, they're going to insist on that, aren't they? There's an almost unlimited supply of what in most cases it's not unfair to term 'wannabes', and with costs rising steeply, I can't see the situation changing any time soon, so like I said, it's supply and demand.
Drivers like Jason Plato make money from personal sponsors. One of my customers sponsored him a few years ago. Not cheap but apparently very good value for money.
You would think that if these BTCC drivers were paying for their drives they'd look after their cars a bit better in the races
You would think that if these BTCC drivers were paying for their drives they'd look after their cars a bit better in the races
Was a time when almost nobody was paid to drive save a few exalted beings at the top of the tree.
QUOTE (Derwent Motorsport @ Jan 17 2011, 11:32) 
At our motor club dinner we had John Cleland as our guest speaker. He was excellent.
He noted that in his day, which was not that long ago, all the drivers in the BTCC were paid to drive but now none are paid. Virtually all the current BTCC drivers pay to drive the cars by briinging their own sponsorship or money, even the likes of Jason Plato.
It did make me think as to how many current British drivers are paid to race or rally? Probably many fewer than 20 or 30 years ago! Button, Hamilton, McNish, Smith and perhaps a few others in sports cars. A couple in rallying at WRC or IRC level. A few Brits in German touring cars and a few who race in the USA.
Given the large number of wannabes there are in karting and the various "feeder" race series it would seem there is virtually no hope for them to getting a paid drive at the end of it.
Have we seem the best years of "professional" racing and rally drivers?
He noted that in his day, which was not that long ago, all the drivers in the BTCC were paid to drive but now none are paid. Virtually all the current BTCC drivers pay to drive the cars by briinging their own sponsorship or money, even the likes of Jason Plato.
It did make me think as to how many current British drivers are paid to race or rally? Probably many fewer than 20 or 30 years ago! Button, Hamilton, McNish, Smith and perhaps a few others in sports cars. A couple in rallying at WRC or IRC level. A few Brits in German touring cars and a few who race in the USA.
Given the large number of wannabes there are in karting and the various "feeder" race series it would seem there is virtually no hope for them to getting a paid drive at the end of it.
Have we seem the best years of "professional" racing and rally drivers?
What a coincidence. I was just trying to find contact details for John Cleland to ask him a question about the Chevron B23 he hillclimbed in 1974. Would you be able to forward an email on to him?
Thanks
Allen
B23-73-12
QUOTE (David McKinney @ Jan 17 2011, 16:34)
B23-73-12
Indeed - but that wasn't going to be my question. I don't know who he bought it from or who he sold it to - or do you know that too?
I can't give out John's phone or emails but he does have a personal website and you can email him via that.
QUOTE (Allen Brown @ Jan 17 2011, 16:40)
Indeed - but that wasn't going to be my question. I don't know who he bought it from or who he sold it to - or do you know that too?
Thought you might have known the easy bit
I don't know whom he bought it from, except that it was supposedly a/the Red Rose Racing/John Lepp car of 1973
And I don't know where it went afterwards (though I have a horrible feeling I used to...)
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