75 replies to this topic

[GX390]

'Jenson Button will end his Formula 1 career as a McLaren driver after signing one of the longest and most lucrative contracts in the sport. Button, 31, is understood to have committed himself for at least another four years in a deal worth up to £50m.'

Source: BBC

[Kelateboy]

'Jenson Button will end his Formula 1 career as a McLaren driver after signing one of the longest and most lucrative contracts in the sport. Button, 31, is understood to have committed himself for at least another four years in a deal worth up to £50m.'

Source: BBC

Good for Button.
How much is his earning in 2012 compared to the other top drivers - Vettel, Hamilton and Alonso?

[boldhakka]

That is very impressive indeed, especially in this day and age. I thought the days of Raikkonen-level pay were long gone. (EDIT: nevermind, Kimi's was $50 million per year, I think).

He deserves it. I also suspect his responsibilities to McLaren will extend post-retirement as an ambassador or some such role. So the pay will probably have to reflect that.

Edited by boldhakka, 06 October 2011 - 15:20.

[Ross Stonefeld]

"Up to" probably includes bonuses for races won, world titles, etc.

[GX390]

Good for Button.
How much is his earning in 2012 compared to the other top drivers - Vettel, Hamilton and Alonso?

Think Vettel earns a similar amount of money compared to JB and Hamilton and Alonso earns 24 million

[boldhakka]

Think Vettel earns a similar amount of money compared to JB and Hamilton and Alonso earns 24 million

Vettel has a relatively lower baseline salary compared to Lewis, but has very attractive bonuses for points, wins, and championship standings.

[Andrew Hope]

How is a four-year deal meaning he'll end his career at McLaren? Alonso is a year younger than Button and signed until about 2025.

[robefc]

I'm a bit confused actually.

It was my understanding he was getting paid £8m and lewis £16m.
So £50m over 4 yrs is only £12.5m a year...and if it's 'up to' so we assume £50m is the max that would include 4xWDC winning bonuses, which must be pretty hefty.

Although when driver 'salaries' are quotes i don't know if that includes potential bonuses etc.

Anyhow, i'm sure it's plenty enough to keep jenson solvent for a while!

[robefc]

Vettel has a relatively lower baseline salary compared to Lewis, but has very attractive bonuses for points, wins, and championship standings.

He clearly needs to get a manager because what a stupid decision, giving away a guaranteed income in favour of risking his income on how many points, wins and championships he can get...

[ForzaGTR]

I'm a bit confused actually.

It was my understanding he was getting paid £8m and lewis £16m.
So £50m over 4 yrs is only £12.5m a year...and if it's 'up to' so we assume £50m is the max that would include 4xWDC winning bonuses, which must be pretty hefty.

Although when driver 'salaries' are quotes i don't know if that includes potential bonuses etc.

Anyhow, i'm sure it's plenty enough to keep jenson solvent for a while!

Lewis' next contract will be interesting.

[Watkins74]

I love F1 but I find myself totally uninterested in what each driver makes.



Just stating my personal feeling and it is in no way against the person who started the thread.

[Amphicar]

I think the figures for the length of the deal and the amount of money it is worth to JB are just journalistic speculation. McLaren haven't released any information beyond saying it is "a multi-year deal" and Jenson has parried questions on the subject. I've seen suggestions (inevitably based on "informed sources") putting the length of the deal between 2 years and 6 years and the value between £40 million and £85 million!

[flyer121]

Vettel has a relatively lower baseline salary compared to Lewis, but has very attractive bonuses for points, wins, and championship standings.

That might go some way in explaining the points difference - jk

Edited by flyer121, 06 October 2011 - 15:45.

[sharo]

Bearing in mind that some got 1/3 of this just not to drive, Jenson , I think, is earning his money honestly.

[Ferrari_F1_fan_2001]

i don't think we'll ever see the Schumacher days of $70m (combined) per season ever again. I believe Alonso is still way ahead of everyone in terms of driver salaries.

Vettel - considering his success - is paid meagre sums in comparison albeit with a success clause written into his contract. No wonder he is smiling all the time.

[as65p]

I love F1 but I find myself totally uninterested in what each driver makes.

Absolutely. Closely followed by where they live, what they do in their pasttime, what they eat... in short, the whole "home story" crap.

Girlfriends, now that's another matter. At least in some cases.

[Dalton007]

Absolutely. Closely followed by where they live, what they do in their pasttime, what they eat... in short, the whole "home story" crap.

Girlfriends, now that's another matter. At least in some cases.;)

I find it rude and intrusive that anyone would want to know someone's salary, unless it's in the public's interest - clearly this isn't. That's between Jenson and MClaren.

Edited by Dalton007, 06 October 2011 - 18:08.

[arknor]

i wonder when we willl see the second f1 billionaire driver

[fastlegs]

i wonder when we willl see the second f1 billionaire driver

Well, if he keeps going like he currently is and he gets a aggressive management / marketing team, I'd say Vettel has the best chance.

[arknor]

Well, if he keeps going like he currently is and he gets a aggressive management / marketing team, I'd say Vettel has the best chance.

i remember when hamilton came into the sport , won a championship and was on about selling shares in himself and if he earned more than a billion people would make a profit on it

i guess its a good job that never came to fruition

[F1ultimate]

I don't think Button gets the same money as Lewis. Lewis is a sponsor magnet and is on sponsorship duties way more often than Button. If if wasn't for Lewis Santander would probably have left long ago. Button's compensation is likely more than under his current contract but still not on a Hamilton Level.

[robefc]

I find it rude and intrusive that anyone would want to know someone's salary, unless it's in the public's interest - clearly this isn't. That's between Jenson and MClaren.

Isn't practically everything that the public wants to know about celebrities rude and intrusive?!

I wouldn't take kindly to strangers grilling me on why I'd made a mistake at work, rating my girlfriend's attractiveness and constantly praising/criticising my personality...earnings would be least of my worries!

[Buttoneer]

Lewis is a sponsor magnet and is on sponsorship duties way more often than Button.

What sort of difference are we looking at here, exactly? 30 more days a year? 40?

[robefc]

What sort of difference are we looking at here, exactly? 30 more days a year? 40?

That's actually an interesting point, they were both talking about negotiating less sponsorship days. I wonder if JB has and, if so, does that mean he'll now be doing significantly less than Lewis who is still on his old contract?

[Sammyosammy]

I love F1 but I find myself totally uninterested in what each driver makes.

Join the club. Boring subject. If it has to be done, pls also bring out the share of the management of each driver / every single contract they`ve made.

Irrelevant numbers.

[TFLB]

Nobody deserves to earn that much money. However, proportionally to Hamilton, it is only fair that Button should earn more, since he has been the better driver.

[f1fastestlap]

Nobody deserves to earn that much money. However, proportionally to Hamilton, it is only fair that Button should earn more, since he has been the better driver.

You mean they pay should be based on race by race now?

[Victor]

Meaning no disrespect to Jenson, I honestly do not understand how someone can pay that kind of money and commit for so long with a driver like Jenson. He is a reliable, intelligent and tactic driver, but not much more than that. Is it that McLaren believes Hamilton needs such an expensive nanny? IMHO what we are seeing this year, with Button in front of Hamilton, is just fruit of extraordinary circumstances. Hamilton is a far better racing driver, much more talented and faster. He will mature by himself and I believe the gap between them will inevitably increase. Hiring Barrichello to pair Hamilton would achieve similar results for a fraction of the cost…

[purplejohn]

He's getting 1p less the lewis cos he's worth it with his head and shoulders

[P123]

That's actually an interesting point, they were both talking about negotiating less sponsorship days. I wonder if JB has and, if so, does that mean he'll now be doing significantly less than Lewis who is still on his old contract?

McLaren had an option on JB for next year anyway, so his reduced sponsorship days may not kick in until 2013.

[as65p]

Meaning no disrespect to Jenson, I honestly do not understand how someone can pay that kind of money and commit for so long with a driver like Jenson. He is a reliable, intelligent and tactic driver, but not much more than that. Is it that McLaren believes Hamilton needs such an expensive nanny? IMHO what we are seeing this year, with Button in front of Hamilton, is just fruit of extraordinary circumstances. Hamilton is a far better racing driver, much more talented and faster. He will mature by himself and I believe the gap between them will inevitably increase. Hiring Barrichello to pair Hamilton would achieve similar results for a fraction of the cost…

I would agree (as would probably most people) that Hamilton is more talented and faster overall. It's however not at all certain he'll mature by himself, or at all.

As for Jenson, I reckon he has qualities that Mclaren might consider "worth it". From what I've seen, I consider him one of the coolest under pressure, not necessarily pressure from another driver in a race, but season long pressure during a WDC campaign. The ability he has shown to not get flustered at all by Hamiltons speed but keep doing his own thing is very, very, rare. Basically all McLaren has to do to have a very good chance with him is to build the fastest or joint fastest car, I reckon he's one of the safest bets on the grid to deliver in such a scenario. And as Hamilton hasn't really shown to be capable of any more than that, why should Button not be worth about the same to the team?

Plus there's the frequent praise of Buttons contribution to car development from the team.

[robefc]

McLaren had an option on JB for next year anyway, so his reduced sponsorship days may not kick in until 2013.

True but it appeared that it was macca wanting a new contract whilst jenson was happy for them just to take up the option so presumably whatever was agreed in the new contract starts from next season.

[V8 Fireworks]

I love F1 but I find myself totally uninterested in what each driver makes.



Just stating my personal feeling and it is in no way against the person who started the thread.

Well if you prefer your drivers broke (or rich ) then Indycar is the solution.

Interestingly most of the F1 drivers could each afford to buy three full season seats in Indycar for some of their mates from F3 or F Renault...


At least they don't pay 20 or 25 footballers or baseballers $10m each while charging fans $250 for a ticket plus $75 parking charge!!

Edited by V8 Fireworks, 07 October 2011 - 01:56.

[Clay]

Meaning no disrespect to Jenson, I honestly do not understand how someone can pay that kind of money and commit for so long with a driver like Jenson. He is a reliable, intelligent and tactic driver, but not much more than that. Is it that McLaren believes Hamilton needs such an expensive nanny? IMHO what we are seeing this year, with Button in front of Hamilton, is just fruit of extraordinary circumstances. Hamilton is a far better racing driver, much more talented and faster. He will mature by himself and I believe the gap between them will inevitably increase. Hiring Barrichello to pair Hamilton would achieve similar results for a fraction of the cost…

I guess the payment is also to prvent the possibility of Jenson joining Ferrari. Just imaging Jenson finishing close to Alonso or even beating him from time to time (as he does with Hamilton). That'd be two deliverers taking off points to McLaren.

Also, I don't think Barrichello would deliver as much as Jenson, taking into account Jenson delivered quite more than him when they had the same car...

Edited by Clay, 07 October 2011 - 03:34.

[SparkPlug]

Meaning no disrespect to Jenson, I honestly do not understand how someone can pay that kind of money and commit for so long with a driver like Jenson. He is a reliable, intelligent and tactic driver, but not much more than that. Is it that McLaren believes Hamilton needs such an expensive nanny? IMHO what we are seeing this year, with Button in front of Hamilton, is just fruit of extraordinary circumstances. Hamilton is a far better racing driver, much more talented and faster. He will mature by himself and I believe the gap between them will inevitably increase. Hiring Barrichello to pair Hamilton would achieve similar results for a fraction of the cost…

I think that is a very harsh assessment of Button. He has been really good this year, and more recently has started to match Hamilton for pace as well. Consistent, fast and reliable. He was no mug last year as well, I think he did really well for himself in a team that had Lewis entrenched in it. In contention for the title for almost the entire season last year, which is no mean feat.

And yes, as the above poster mentioned, he has beaten Barrichello quite convincingly in the same car. I highly doubt if Barrichello can churn out the kind of performances that Button is.

"To finish first, you have to first finish" applies perfectly to the Lewis-Button partnership. Lewis may occasionally come up with the brilliant performance or drive, but it also means he is more likely to crash into other racing drivers around him due to his risk taking behaviour [hey, I'm not judging here, so all you Lewis fans stay off my back ! ]

Button is the perfect complement to Lewis as far as Mclaren are concerned.

Edited by SparkPlug, 07 October 2011 - 05:43.

[jjcale]

Having watched JB closely since he started driving for Macca, my view is that whilst he is not as talented as LH (and, on balance, not as good a driver overall) he is good enough to be a No 1 for Macca if something were to happen to LH... and the new contract is just reflecting this IMO.

[femi]

JB fans should not get their hopes up too much.

[trogggy]

JB fans should not get their hopes up too much.

In what sense?

[purplejohn]

i wonder when we willl see the second f1 billionaire driver

who was the first?

[Gyan]

who was the first?

Michael Schumacher.

[TeamMacca]

Being paid similar amount now.

JB deserves it, but wait until Lewis signs his next contract in 2012 it will be alot more than Jensons if he does stay.

Ron will be involved aswell. i expect at least a £80m deal.

[Aieljose]

who was the first?

I think schumacher was. Not sure though.

[purplejohn]

Michael Schumacher.

so Shumacher is a billionaire, is there a link anywhere

[Tsarwash]

If Schumacher had a billion quid, I'm pretty certain that we would have seen Team Schumi in F1 by now. There's just no way that he has earned that much money. I doubt that he even has a quarter of a billion.

[puxanando]

Better driving....better paying....that's LIVE!

[onewingedangel]

If Schumacher had a billion quid, I'm pretty certain that we would have seen Team Schumi in F1 by now.

Why would he spend his money on a race team, when he can have someone else pay the bills who would get the marketing benefit? His current arrangement with Mercedes, much like his previous with Ferrari makes more sense.

[xtremespeedjunkie]

JB has been in scintillating form off late , and he fully deserves his pay-hike

[arknor]

so Shumacher is a billionaire, is there a link anywhere

not really much on the web link wise just google "schumacher billionaire"

eurobusisness named him as the worlds first billionaire athlete in 2005

i think schumacher , tiger woods and michael jordan are the only ahtletes ins port to have earned a billion over their career.

most of schumachers money came from lucrative sponsor deals

[fieraku]

If Schumacher had a billion quid, I'm pretty certain that we would have seen Team Schumi in F1 by now. There's just no way that he has earned that much money. I doubt that he even has a quarter of a billion.

You must have not heard the saying then!

"If you're a billionaire and want to be a millionaire,buy an F1 team"