Jump to content


Photo
- - - - -

F1 Drivers’ Backgrounds


  • Please log in to reply
43 replies to this topic

#1 Tsarwash

Tsarwash
  • Member

  • 13,725 posts
  • Joined: August 10

Posted 25 December 2018 - 13:04

This is a spin off from the discussion that has begun to develop in the Lewis - Stevenage thread, but I decided to start a new topic to hopefully get away from some of the more toxic arguments that have developed there. It is well known that Lewis came form a modest background, and of course we have the very opposite example of Lance Stroll who came from a very privileged background. This quote from the thread seemed quite interesting to me;

 

 

With the exception of Rosberg and maybe Jenson, all champions in the last 20 years come from fairly modest backgrounds. Seb's dad was a carpenter, Kimi's dad a road builder, Alonso's dad a mechanic at an explosives factory. All picked up by a "manager team" at a young age thanks to talent. 

I do not know the background of many of the drivers, and am interested in finding out. It seems that F1 is a lot easier for better off drivers to break into, but this perception may well not be true. It would be interesting to find out what ratios of drivers had to financially struggle and how many of them managed to rise to the top or near there. It would also be lovely if this thread didn't descend into yet another driver bashing thread. Let's remember that Lance Stroll had as much choice about the background he was born into as any other of the drivers, and most of us would have liked to have been born with those advantages. 



Advertisement

#2 Spillage

Spillage
  • Member

  • 10,857 posts
  • Joined: May 09

Posted 25 December 2018 - 14:00

I know Grosjean's grandfather was a top-class skier, but I don't know whether he grew up living in luxury.

But a lot of them would have had changing circumstances. Anthony Hamilton ran quite a successful IT business, but Lewis by no means grew up in luxury and lived with his mother until he was 12. Similarly the Schumachers had more money when Ralf was a kid than they did when Michael was karting.

#3 ernestomodena

ernestomodena
  • Member

  • 434 posts
  • Joined: June 18

Posted 25 December 2018 - 14:02

Well if I had to guess leclerc is coming from some wealth because else you are not living in Monaco.

Max ofcourse was helped by his fathers name and connections where his father tuned the kart engines ass wel that he was picked up by factory kart teams.

Senna comes from a wealthy background as well.

Daniel's father has some companies in mining I believe and is also a supercar collector.

Hülkenberg father owns a shipping company.

#4 PlatenGlass

PlatenGlass
  • Member

  • 5,032 posts
  • Joined: June 14

Posted 25 December 2018 - 18:20

Hamilton had a dad who worked two jobs to fund his karting and pretty much dedicated himself to it. Opportunity isn't just about being born rich. Not many people would have a father prepared to do that for them and so Hamilton had an opportunity most people would not have.

#5 BRG

BRG
  • Member

  • 26,929 posts
  • Joined: September 99

Posted 25 December 2018 - 18:23

Well if I had to guess leclerc is coming from some wealth because else you are not living in Monaco.

There are in fact actual native-born indigenous Monagasques. Not very many, in the greater scheme of things, but then, it is a tiny place. Leclerc was born there so presumably counts as such.  HIs dad might have been a street sweeper.  Probably wasn't, but it would be nice to think it was so.



#6 Vitesse2

Vitesse2
  • Administrator

  • 42,845 posts
  • Joined: April 01

Posted 25 December 2018 - 18:53

There are in fact actual native-born indigenous Monagasques. Not very many, in the greater scheme of things, but then, it is a tiny place. Leclerc was born there so presumably counts as such.  HIs dad might have been a street sweeper.  Probably wasn't, but it would be nice to think it was so.

Leclerc Senior is said to have raced in French F3. However, it's quite difficult to find details of Charles' background - although there are hints he may have had some support from Prince Albert II. Whether that's financial or just moral support is unclear, although Leclerc apparently gave the helmet he wore in his first GP to the Prince.



#7 Spillage

Spillage
  • Member

  • 10,857 posts
  • Joined: May 09

Posted 25 December 2018 - 19:48

Leclerc's father was good friends with Philippe Bianchi, wasn't he? I think that's how Jules came to be Charles' godfather. I don't know how much money the Bianchis had, but they definitely had a family history of racing, with Mauro and Lucien having both been professional racers.

Edited by Spillage, 25 December 2018 - 19:49.


#8 Ivanhoe

Ivanhoe
  • RC Forum Host

  • 18,121 posts
  • Joined: November 15

Posted 25 December 2018 - 20:29

I don’t find the drivers’ background very interesting to be honoust. If Stroll would be as the talented as Lewis I’d appreciate him the same, and vice versa. You can’t buy talent.

#9 noriaki

noriaki
  • Member

  • 2,088 posts
  • Joined: April 14

Posted 25 December 2018 - 21:08

Going to label those with "millionaire" families in italics. 

 

Hamilton's story is well publicised. With Lewis' dad who was working in IT as his main backer early on, the duo pushed through plenty of obstacles early in Lewis' career. Anthony took on additional jobs and put everything he could on the effort, until Ron Dennis finally snapped his son up around 1998.  

Bottas is the son of a small cleaning company owner who estimates he spent some 200k euros of his own money on his son's karting career. His mom is an undertaker and Valtteri himself is a qualified car mechanic in Finland, so he probably would be one if not for F1. Upon entering junior formulae Bottas got sponsorship from local companies Wihuri, Kemppi, and in 2008 got signed up by a manager team involving Didier Coton, Toto Wolff, and Mika Hakkinen. 

 

Vettel doesn't have a wealthy background either as his dad owned a small carpentry business - but luckily for Sebastian, he was also into motorsport and their home was located nearby the local karting track, so with his contacts he could fund Seb's karting from a very young age. The owner of the said track started backing Vettel at a young age, and Red Bull Junior Team signed him around the year 2000, so presumably the Vettel family didn't have to invest quite as much money as most others. 

Raikkonen comes from a family of petrol heads who didn't even have an inside lavatory and he, too, would most likely be a car mechanic now, if not for a lucky break with the Robertsons spotting him on his first junior formula season in 1998. Only Kimi's road builder dad working some additional jobs and taking on loans had been keeping Kimi's karting career going until that. 

 

Verstappen is obviously the son of Jos Verstappen, a former F1 driver in the late nineties and early noughties. With his money and contacts (such as the Jumbo supermarkets), Jos was able to fund Max from karting, all the way to F3 in 2014 where Red Bull snapped him up. 

As noted above Ricciardo had fairly wealthy parents, his dad was the chairman of GR Engineering so they were able to fund young Daniel through the Australian junior formulae and a season in Italian Formula Renault in 2007 - after the season Red Bull snapped him up. 

 

There's not that much online on Hulkenberg's father other than that he owned a shipping company and probably funded his career throughout his karting years. When he stepped into cars around 2005, Willi Weber (Schumi's manager) took him up and managed him all the way to Williams with some backing from Dekra. 

Sainz jr is the son of Carlos Sainz sr, a double World Rally Champion. Probably his dad's wealth and existing connections with Red Bull didn't hurt him when Carlito stepped up from karting in 2010 and instantly got signed up with their junior team. 

 

Perez comes from a wealthy family, saying he would probably have become a lawyer if not for motor racing. His dad used to be a racing driver who had some existing connections with Carlos Slim (the owner of Telmex and one of the richest men in the world) who funded Checo as well as many other Latin American drivers from the early 2000's on. 

Ocon does not, his dad owned a small garage who invested everything in young Esteban's karting career, eventually ending up selling their house and living off a caravan. Their money finally ran out around 2010, still in karting - but just then, Estebans career was salvaged by Eric Boullier who promptly signed him for Gravity Management. 

 

Magnussen is the son of Jan Magnussen, a former F1 driver slash current sportscar driver. Not the wealthiest as far as racing driver daddies in the grid go - but still, the name mustn't have hurt when collecting sponsors. Most prominent has been the Danish company Jack & Jones who supported Kevin's career into car racing and eventually into McLaren Young Driver Programme in 2010 too. 

As also noted above, Grosjean comes from a family with plenty of skiing heritage. His dad is a Swiss lawyer and mom a relatively famous French painter. Romain himself wasn't always going to be a racing driver, he only started at 14 and spent some of his karting years part time working at a Geneva bank. His family presumably funded him through his karting times and early junior formulae, until 2006 when he was snapped up by Renault Sport Academy. As an interesting tidbit, after his "first" career in F1 went bust, the disenchanted Grosjean promptly decided to quit racing and chase another dream: to become a chef. However, the cooking school didn't let Romain enroll because he was too old, and thus forced him to try and salvage his racing career instead!

 

Alonso's dad was a mechanic in an explosives factory slash amateur kart driver. His parents were thus willing to support Fernando throughout his karting years, until 1996 when Adrian Campos spotted him and offered him a ride in his junior formulae. A few years later Briatore would spot him and took him to Minardi in F1. 

Vandoorne comes from a family of no racing heritage. His father was an architect who just designed the restaurant at the local karting track - unfortunately for him though, his then-6-year-old son got enamored by the karts there. Hence the family went through a decade of financial hardships to gather local funding for Stoffel, and it was only prize money and scholarships gained from winning various karting & junior formula competitions that kept his career afloat until 2013, when McLaren Junior Team finally snapped him up. 

 

Leclerc's late father was also F3 driver in the eighties and nineties, and they lived in bloody Monaco to boot, so I will italics him - even if he claims his dad was not *that* rich and ran out of money in 2010. But the Leclercs' close family friend Jules Bianchi then spoke to his manager Nicolas Todt, who subsequently signed Leclerc up, and this connection later helped him sign with the Ferrari Driver Academy too. 

Ericsson easily gets the rich pay-driver tag because of his large sponsorship. However his dad was a house painter with no motorsport background whatsoever, so the Swede was anything but rich. His first taste of motorsports came at age 9, when Marcus simply turned up at the local rental go-kart track and nearly broke the lap record off the bat. As the small town of Kumla also just happened to be Sweden's main motorsport town, the kart track owner-racing driver Fredrik Ekblom was there to instantly recognize his talent and start funding him, and later on Kenny Brack and Eje Elgh to help out some more. With their extensive business connectionsin Sweden, Marcus was later able to land substantial backing from Tetra Pak, H&M and Olsbergs, which, combined, eventually brought him up to F1. 

 

Gasly comes from a family of racing enthusiasts, and his father did race in various disciplines. Pierre claims they were not very wealthy though, and that he managed to get all the way up to F1 "without any manager and without paying for my seat". However, as I cannot even spot any recurring sponsors on his junior formula cars, I suppose at least some of the early racing must have been funded by his own family, until he landed Red Bull backing in 2014. 

Hartley's dad was a local racing driver who even finished P2 in the junior formula New Zealand GP in 1995. The Hartleys were major petrolheads and still have their family business that makes high performance engines. They were able to fund Brendon's karting career until age 14, when some local Kiwis set up a shareholding platform to support Brendon's career, but even that wasn't going to be enough to step into the big time. So, desperate for cash and opportunity, they finally reached out to Helmut Marko - and got lucky. And as is well known, Hartley didn't initially make his breakthrough in European junior formulae, but eventually got his F1 chance through a "detour" of years of fine performances in various sportscars. (Today I also learned that Hartley's #28 was a tribute to Jean Alesi. Who knew.)

 

Stroll's dad Lawrence is worth 2.7 billion USD, and funded his junior formula career throughout, even buying stakes of the Formula One teams Lance was going to join. 

Sirotkin's father Sergey sr is the head of the National Aviation Industries in Moscow, and Sergey jr himself has graduated from university with a degree from race car engineering. Daddy's company has largely funded Sergey junior's early career, and SMP Bank, among others, stepped up when it came to funding his Williams seat in 2018. 

 

Russell comes from relative wealth as his father was involved in "lucrative beans and peas business" until selling up (apparently - I regret to admit my only source here is Daily Mail, so ...). So they were able to fund George's career for quite a while. Around 2014 Russell contacted Toto Wolff and signed with some kind of junior programme he had. 

Kubica's father was involved in business, and a "fan of racing", but he had no racing background and thus no proper connections. Kubica could get his karting license in 1994, but as the karting infrastructure in Poland was poor, at the age of 13 his dad loaned some money and the pair of them went to Italy without any sponsors. Having done this, Robert landed a deal from CRG, a kart manufacturer, to test karts for Nico Rosberg. Kubica went up to formula racing largely with the support of Daniele Morelli and Renault Sport Academy, until he got snapped up by BMW. Later in his career, after the rallycar accident, he would gain backing from the local oil company Lotos. 

Norris definitely has a rich dad, a retired pensions manager, who funded his career all the way until McLaren signed Lando up in 2017. 

Kvyat has a rich father too, he worked at a Russian oil company and later became an influental politician from the Republic of Bashkortostan. So they could afford to fund young Daniil in karting and support his career by moving to Rome when Kvyat was 13. In 2009, while still karting, Kvyat was snapped up by Red Bull who have funded the rest of his career so far. 

I can find little of Giovinazzi's dad. Antonio started karting at a young race and karted for 10 years, so presumably they were quite wealthy - though I'm happy to get corrected if someone knows. In 2015, he raced Sean Gelael, whose father is very wealthy of KFC, and who also took a liking in Antonio so he decided to fund Giovinazzi's career as well. 

Albon has a father Nigel who was a part time Porsche business owner, once raced in the BTCC - and a Thai mom who is currently jailed for a 7.5 million pound car fraud(!). So I presume they were wealthy enough to fund Alex's kart career. He was signed up by Red Bull junior team in 2012, then dropped for multiple years and picked up by the Gravity team for a while. And this year, obviously, got his break in F1 by Helmut having to crawl back to him. 

 

---

 

In conclusion: currently we've got a rough 50/50 split between the super privileged, and those only privileged enough to have their family "only" able to fund their karting career and then get a lucky break with something. But still, I wouldn't call many of them even middle class. 

 

Now this was a fun end to my Christmas Day having eaten way too well, maybe I can use some of my time tomorrow for a review of the past World Champions' background too...



#10 noriaki

noriaki
  • Member

  • 2,088 posts
  • Joined: April 14

Posted 25 December 2018 - 21:12

There are in fact actual native-born indigenous Monagasques. Not very many, in the greater scheme of things, but then, it is a tiny place. Leclerc was born there so presumably counts as such.  HIs dad might have been a street sweeper.  Probably wasn't, but it would be nice to think it was so.

 

Leclerc's father was good friends with Philippe Bianchi, wasn't he? I think that's how Jules came to be Charles' godfather. I don't know how much money the Bianchis had, but they definitely had a family history of racing, with Mauro and Lucien having both been professional racers.

 

Leclerc's father was good friends with Philippe Bianchi, wasn't he? I think that's how Jules came to be Charles' godfather. I don't know how much money the Bianchis had, but they definitely had a family history of racing, with Mauro and Lucien having both been professional racers.

 

 

Charles talks a bit about his career in the interview linked above (don't know if it works). 



#11 Myrvold

Myrvold
  • Member

  • 17,430 posts
  • Joined: December 10

Posted 25 December 2018 - 21:41

Raikkonen comes from a family of petrol heads who didn't even have an inside lavatory and he, too, would most likely be a car mechanic now, if not for a lucky break with the Robertsons spotting him on his first junior formula season in 1998. Only Kimi's road builder dad working some additional jobs and taking on loans had been keeping Kimi's karting career going until that. 

 

Leclerc's late father was also F3 driver in the eighties and nineties, and they lived in bloody Monaco to boot, so I will italics him - even if he claims his dad was not *that* rich and ran out of money in 2010. But the Leclercs' close family friend Jules Bianchi then spoke to his manager Nicolas Todt, who subsequently signed Leclerc up, and this connection later helped him sign with the Ferrari Driver Academy too. .

 

Räikkönen was spotted in 98 indeed, but that was doing the Nordic championship in Karting hosted in Norway. He got spotted by Harald Huysman, former WSC-driver, who made some calls over to England, and the rest is history.
 

Putting Leclerc as rich by default due to Monaco might be a bit simple. The majority of the rich people there are not from Monaco as far as I can remember.



#12 statman

statman
  • Member

  • 7,312 posts
  • Joined: December 15

Posted 26 December 2018 - 12:25

There are in fact actual native-born indigenous Monagasques. Not very many, in the greater scheme of things, but then, it is a tiny place. Leclerc was born there so presumably counts as such.  HIs dad might have been a street sweeper.  Probably wasn't, but it would be nice to think it was so.

 

I always find this fascinating. Monaco is so luxurious and expensive but indeed there are people who have lived their whole life (and for generations) in Monaco.

 

But how are they able to afford that these days? Rent-control? So many millionaires and billionaires on such a small piece of land surely drives up prices. And what is the average cost of living then (for natives)?



#13 goldenboy

goldenboy
  • Member

  • 8,183 posts
  • Joined: May 10

Posted 26 December 2018 - 13:08

Actually found this a little bit interesting. Have to admit it makes me think a bit differently about Ocon.

#14 Sterzo

Sterzo
  • Member

  • 5,916 posts
  • Joined: September 11

Posted 26 December 2018 - 14:18

It would be interesting to find out what ratios of drivers had to financially struggle and how many of them managed to rise to the top or near there...

 

Definitely interesting, and noriaki's ace sleuthing (OK, reading the Daily Mail) has given us lots of brilliant information.

 

A common theme is this: families typically fund up to a point, but real progress usually depends on someone in racing spotting your talent and helping to find funding.



#15 goldenboy

goldenboy
  • Member

  • 8,183 posts
  • Joined: May 10

Posted 26 December 2018 - 14:34

This is something I should probably know, but what do these sponsors typically get or expect as their return, and what kind of different sponsors are there in these young driver situations?

Corporate, manufacturer, philanthropist?

Edited by goldenboy, 26 December 2018 - 14:35.


#16 noriaki

noriaki
  • Member

  • 2,088 posts
  • Joined: April 14

Posted 26 December 2018 - 15:03

I don’t find the drivers’ background very interesting to be honoust. If Stroll would be as the talented as Lewis I’d appreciate him the same, and vice versa. You can’t buy talent.

 

I agree with the latter sentiment, but not the first one (as must be obvious by now :rolleyes: ) - I do find it interesting to see where the drivers came from. Reading stories about the "normal Western kids" who made it through plenty of hard work, great sacrifices and some strokes of luck, also steals a couple of the traditional excuses from the rest us lower middle class Westerners when it comes to the question "why am I not an F1 driver". 

 

 

Definitely interesting, and noriaki's ace sleuthing (OK, reading the Daily Mail) has given us lots of brilliant information.

 

I swear it was only this one time, honest! Further, I ought to emphasize that I am thoroughly embarrassed to ever have touched the publication. It was a true low point for me. Will meekly accept any tar and feathers thrown at my way.  :blush:

 

 

This is something I should probably know, but what do these sponsors typically get or expect as their return, and what kind of different sponsors are there in these young driver situations?

Corporate, manufacturer, philanthropist?

 

There are big sponsor schemes picking up junior drivers because they want to get one of them all the way to F1 eventually - Telmex and SMP Bank are prime examples of this. Some smaller sponsors back junior drivers for national publicity, since in some countries, even junior class racing drivers get decent coverage. Some sponsor because of the connections in motor racing world, so deals can be made. And many, especially early on, probably don't really expect any return whatsoever - Ericsson is a fine example of this as his sponsors don't even appear on the car.

 

So I guess the backers are split between those 3 kinds. 



#17 Sterzo

Sterzo
  • Member

  • 5,916 posts
  • Joined: September 11

Posted 26 December 2018 - 15:08

...and what kind of different sponsors are there in these young driver situation? Corporate, manufacturer, philanthropist?

Yes.

 

This is something I should probably know, but what do these sponsors typically get or expect as their return

The age old question. There's very rarely a directly measurable return for any marketing expenditure. It's more of an act of faith that if your name is thrown about all over the place, you're more likely to sell your widgets.

 

In club racing and in the lower rungs of the racing ladder, apparent "corporate" sponsorship is often family in light disguise. If uncle owns a business, he can pay towards your racing and every pound he puts in reduces the business profit and therefore saves tax. Still costs him, but not as much. Even at F1 level in the past, quite a lot of sponsors had a director who was a racing enthusiast, which seems to have skewed the board's judgement in favour.

 

Interesting to hear recent comments from Mercedes, that their spend on F1 was good value in TV exposure in comparison with paid adverts. Whether it sold another car is a different question; I doubt anyone knows. Was once peripherally involved in discussions of potential racing sponsorship by the company I worked for. I so wanted the free tickets, but making a sound case was simply beyond me. In the end a Board member said we shouldn't fund a sport where all the participants got killed because it was bad PR. So, on that rational basis, we didn't.

 

As for sponsoring a young driver's development rather than painting your name on a car... hmm...



#18 Taxi

Taxi
  • Member

  • 5,148 posts
  • Joined: October 03

Posted 26 December 2018 - 17:20

Great work Noriaki. 

 

Adding to that, Piquet came from a rich family who didn't want him to race but to be a tennis player. He used a fake name [piket] to not be spoted by the family. 

 

Prost parents had a furniture parts small company. 

 

Portuguese Tiago Monteiro is the son of a sucessful hotel chain owner. 



#19 DeKnyff

DeKnyff
  • Member

  • 6,008 posts
  • Joined: November 13

Posted 26 December 2018 - 23:57

 

Raikkonen comes from a family of petrol heads who didn't even have an inside lavatory.

It's not the first time I heard that, but I find it difficult to believe that a dwelling in such a high average income country like Finland didn't have an inside lavatory in the eighties. Specially in Espoo, a town just 5 miles away from capital Helsinki.



Advertisement

#20 JRodrigues

JRodrigues
  • Member

  • 1,909 posts
  • Joined: September 11

Posted 27 December 2018 - 00:36

It's not the first time I heard that, but I find it difficult to believe that a dwelling in such a high average income country like Finland didn't have an inside lavatory in the eighties. Specially in Espoo, a town just 5 miles away from capital Helsinki.

 

 

Toilet is one of the doors in the red house.



#21 ernestomodena

ernestomodena
  • Member

  • 434 posts
  • Joined: June 18

Posted 27 December 2018 - 07:22

It's not the first time I heard that, but I find it difficult to believe that a dwelling in such a high average income country like Finland didn't have an inside lavatory in the eighties. Specially in Espoo, a town just 5 miles away from capital Helsinki.


Even here in the Netherlands n the country side I can remember that people had a outside toilet house.

#22 GMiranda

GMiranda
  • Member

  • 1,202 posts
  • Joined: April 13

Posted 22 August 2022 - 17:50

Räikkönen was spotted in 98 indeed, but that was doing the Nordic championship in Karting hosted in Norway. He got spotted by Harald Huysman, former WSC-driver, who made some calls over to England, and the rest is history.
 

Putting Leclerc as rich by default due to Monaco might be a bit simple. The majority of the rich people there are not from Monaco as far as I can remember.

How long is Harald Huysman involved in talent-spotting? I think he's now a drivers' agent with some reputation.



#23 Myrvold

Myrvold
  • Member

  • 17,430 posts
  • Joined: December 10

Posted 22 August 2022 - 19:46

How long is Harald Huysman involved in talent-spotting? I think he's now a drivers' agent with some reputation.

 

I think, but are not 100% sure - that the first guys he worked with on that level was Jenson Button and Kimi Räikkönen. The next guy was Marko Asmer, but that didn't end up being the same success, after that he pulled out from the driver management stuff as far as I am aware of, jumping in again with help and contacts when talented Norwegians arrived, first Dennis Olsen and now Dennis Hauger.

So not many drivers.



#24 HeadFirst

HeadFirst
  • Member

  • 6,121 posts
  • Joined: February 10

Posted 22 August 2022 - 20:09

It's not the first time I heard that, but I find it difficult to believe that a dwelling in such a high average income country like Finland didn't have an inside lavatory in the eighties. Specially in Espoo, a town just 5 miles away from capital Helsinki.

 

It happens. American skier Bode Miller grew up in a cabin without indoor plumbing, or electricity.



#25 GMiranda

GMiranda
  • Member

  • 1,202 posts
  • Joined: April 13

Posted 22 August 2022 - 20:41

I think, but are not 100% sure - that the first guys he worked with on that level was Jenson Button and Kimi Räikkönen. The next guy was Marko Asmer, but that didn't end up being the same success, after that he pulled out from the driver management stuff as far as I am aware of, jumping in again with help and contacts when talented Norwegians arrived, first Dennis Olsen and now Dennis Hauger.

So not many drivers.

And Mick Schumacher?



#26 Myrvold

Myrvold
  • Member

  • 17,430 posts
  • Joined: December 10

Posted 22 August 2022 - 20:55

And Mick Schumacher?

 

Nope. That's just a Marlboro-connection into Ferrari, being friend with Michael and having him as a small % owner of the Rudskogen racetrack. I guess Mick and Harald's daughter got along pretty well to put it that way, and that's why the Huysman and Schumacher family is in contact with each other.


Edited by Myrvold, 22 August 2022 - 20:55.


#27 GMiranda

GMiranda
  • Member

  • 1,202 posts
  • Joined: April 13

Posted 22 August 2022 - 21:06

Nope. That's just a Marlboro-connection into Ferrari, being friend with Michael and having him as a small % owner of the Rudskogen racetrack. I guess Mick and Harald's daughter got along pretty well to put it that way, and that's why the Huysman and Schumacher family is in contact with each other.

If I'm not mistaken, Huysman's daughter is Mick's girlfriend. But I thought Mick could be also managed by Harald.



#28 Ross Stonefeld

Ross Stonefeld
  • Member

  • 70,106 posts
  • Joined: August 99

Posted 22 August 2022 - 23:20

 

Putting Leclerc as rich by default due to Monaco might be a bit simple. The majority of the rich people there are not from Monaco as far as I can remember.

 

https://en.wikipedia.../wiki/E.Leclerc



#29 noikeee

noikeee
  • Member

  • 23,917 posts
  • Joined: February 06

Posted 23 August 2022 - 01:52

https://en.wikipedia.../wiki/E.Leclerc

Is he from the family that owns the supermarket chain?

I had seen E.Leclerc adverts before (they heavily sponsor the Tour de France) but I figured they weren't related since I've never heard of a link.

Charles' Wiki page refers to his granddad and later his uncle running a car parts manufacturing company that supplies PSA and Renault, so he's clearly not "poor", but there's no references to the supermarket chain.

Edited by noikeee, 23 August 2022 - 01:55.


#30 keeppari

keeppari
  • Member

  • 361 posts
  • Joined: May 10

Posted 23 August 2022 - 06:18

It's not the first time I heard that, but I find it difficult to believe that a dwelling in such a high average income country like Finland didn't have an inside lavatory in the eighties. Specially in Espoo, a town just 5 miles away from capital Helsinki.

The house wasn't built in the eighties and it was about the size of a small cabin. Outhouses were pretty common in Finland back in the 50s, 60s and 70s once you left urban areas. By eighties, they could've built the loo but apparently couldn't afford it.

#31 pacificquay

pacificquay
  • Member

  • 7,119 posts
  • Joined: March 07

Posted 23 August 2022 - 06:24

Is he from the family that owns the supermarket chain?

I had seen E.Leclerc adverts before (they heavily sponsor the Tour de France) but I figured they weren't related since I've never heard of a link.

Charles' Wiki page refers to his granddad and later his uncle running a car parts manufacturing company that supplies PSA and Renault, so he's clearly not "poor", but there's no references to the supermarket chain.

Simon Pagenaud has family connections to the E Leclerc chain. 
 

As far as I know, Charles does not.



#32 Bleu

Bleu
  • Member

  • 6,787 posts
  • Joined: February 10

Posted 23 August 2022 - 06:42

I recall Charles mentioning in Beyond the Grid that native Monegasques are generally not as rich as those who have moved to Monaco.



#33 absinthedude

absinthedude
  • Member

  • 6,077 posts
  • Joined: June 18

Posted 23 August 2022 - 07:35

I know people in the USA in 2022 who do not have proper plumbing....so it's not impossible. 



#34 absinthedude

absinthedude
  • Member

  • 6,077 posts
  • Joined: June 18

Posted 23 August 2022 - 07:36

I recall Charles mentioning in Beyond the Grid that native Monegasques are generally not as rich as those who have moved to Monaco.

 

It's possible his family have owned a flat or two in the principality for generations, and that when they bought them...they were not beyond the means of ordinary people. Many of the native Monegasque aren't any more rich than you or I. 



#35 djr900

djr900
  • Member

  • 193 posts
  • Joined: July 17

Posted 23 August 2022 - 08:09

It's possible his family have owned a flat or two in the principality for generations, and that when they bought them...they were not beyond the means of ordinary people. Many of the native Monegasque aren't any more rich than you or I.


There was a TV documentary about Monaco that mentioned native born people get subsidised rent , in return they have to follow some rules like - not being allowed to gamble in the casino, which seems like a good deal to me.

#36 Myrvold

Myrvold
  • Member

  • 17,430 posts
  • Joined: December 10

Posted 23 August 2022 - 15:51

If I'm not mistaken, Huysman's daughter is Mick's girlfriend. But I thought Mick could be also managed by Harald.


Yup. Those two are together.
It was Sabine Kehm, and now I think it is Todt jr. that manages Mick.

#37 Gyan

Gyan
  • Member

  • 1,250 posts
  • Joined: April 10

Posted 23 August 2022 - 16:18

There's been a clear shift in driver backgrounds, or at least WDC level drivers and their backgrounds, pre and post 2008 it would seem. Practically all new/younger drivers come from upper class backgrounds while the vast majority of WDC drivers in the last 20 years have come from regular backgrounds. There's definitely been a shift.



#38 ARTGP

ARTGP
  • Member

  • 31,312 posts
  • Joined: March 19

Posted 23 August 2022 - 16:27

There's been a clear shift in driver backgrounds, or at least WDC level drivers and their backgrounds, pre and post 2008 it would seem. Practically all new/younger drivers come from upper class backgrounds while the vast majority of WDC drivers in the last 20 years have come from regular backgrounds. There's definitely been a shift.


I think the long and short of it is that you can’t really butter up what Motorsport is and will always be. Motorsport is luxury, not a need. Anthony Hamilton rags to riches stories are going to remain very uncommon.

#39 milestone 11

milestone 11
  • Member

  • 18,413 posts
  • Joined: April 09

Posted 23 August 2022 - 19:59

Is he from the family that owns the supermarket chain?
I had seen E.Leclerc adverts before (they heavily sponsor the Tour de France) but I figured they weren't related since I've never heard of a link.
Charles' Wiki page refers to his granddad and later his uncle running a car parts manufacturing company that supplies PSA and Renault, so he's clearly not "poor", but there's no references to the supermarket chain.

It's Pourchaire's father that a connection to supermarkets, Carrefour.

Advertisement

#40 dissident

dissident
  • Member

  • 1,866 posts
  • Joined: June 19

Posted 23 August 2022 - 21:50

There's been a clear shift in driver backgrounds, or at least WDC level drivers and their backgrounds, pre and post 2008 it would seem. Practically all new/younger drivers come from upper class backgrounds while the vast majority of WDC drivers in the last 20 years have come from regular backgrounds. There's definitely been a shift.

 

Could sponsorship play a role? Combined with the fact that F1 itself and feeder series became more professional (i.e. having the best equipment is more important now)?

 

In the days of tobacco money there seemed to be a more diverse backing, these days it's either OEM/team academies or a millionaire/billionaire.



#41 William Hunt

William Hunt
  • Member

  • 11,484 posts
  • Joined: July 01

Posted 23 August 2022 - 23:24

Recently heard (during a Formula E broadcast) that the father of current Venturi Formula E team manager and former F1 driver Jerôme d'Ambrosio's father was (maybe he still is) a car sales man in a garage so no rich background at all there.


Edited by William Hunt, 23 August 2022 - 23:25.


#42 BRG

BRG
  • Member

  • 26,929 posts
  • Joined: September 99

Posted 24 August 2022 - 09:03

Could sponsorship play a role? Combined with the fact that F1 itself and feeder series became more professional (i.e. having the best equipment is more important now)?

 

In the days of tobacco money there seemed to be a more diverse backing, these days it's either OEM/team academies or a millionaire/billionaire.

Good point.  In the 1970s, several of the top F3 teams in the British series had tobacco money, and they were able to pickup promising young F. Ford drivers who had been able to fund their own racing up to that point.  If they turned out well, they might move on with direct support from Marlboro or however.  So lads who prepared a F. Ford in their dad's garage or out the back of their  workshop and raced on a shoe string, got the chance to move up the ladder.  Now, this is just not the case.



#43 William Hunt

William Hunt
  • Member

  • 11,484 posts
  • Joined: July 01

Posted 24 August 2022 - 15:23

Tobacco money helped a huge amount of young drivers in the past. All those tobacco brands had junior programs like F1 teams as Red Bull have today.



#44 jonpollak

jonpollak
  • Member

  • 46,846 posts
  • Joined: March 00

Posted 24 August 2022 - 23:48

I know people in the USA in 2022 who do not have proper plumbing....so it's not impossible.

Are those people living in disused nuclear missile silos while waiting for The Donald to take over again?
Jp