16 replies to this topic

[Alan Cox]

In Martyn Wainwright's recently published book of wonderfully evocative colour photos, "1950s Motor Sport in colour" (Veloce), he states that Roy Salvadori , in winning three races at Goodwood's 11th April 1955 meeting (Richmond Trophy - Maserati 250F, Over 200cc Sports Cars - Aston DB3S and Lavant Cup - Connaught) had earned £1000 in starting money and £2000 in prize money. He then states "Consider the equivalent value today, and it looks like a good day's work even now".

Surely this cannot be correct - my brief research reveals that £1 in 1955 is worth about £17 today, meaning a pay cheque equivalent to £51,000 today! I know Roy made a jolly fair living by driving multiple races on every programme but I find it hard to believe that rewards were that generous way back then.

[Ray Bell]

Who got the starting money? What was the breakup of the prizemoney distribution?

Oh, and who paid the bills for running that 250F... and from what source?

[jarama]

According to Stirling Moss himself ("My cars, my career") his earnings as eventual rally driver with the Sunbeam-Talbot team (Coupe des Alpes, Monte-Carlo) were of 50 Sterling Pound each time.


Carles.

[Eric McLoughlin]

I think Moss states that his personal income in 1960 was in the region of £8,000 per annum - and he was one of the best paid drivers in Europe at the time.

[David McKinney]

You used to get £1000 for winning the New Zealand Grand Prix and as far as I remember that was more than any world championship GP of that time (around 1959) with the exception of the French.
I'd be surprised if Goodwood sprint races paid as much prizemoney as the quote suggests.

[Doug Nye]

I'm pretty sure Salvadori would be truly thrilled to hear how much he was earning.

This is hooey...

DCN

[McGuire]

I think a decimal place has been gained along the way...maybe two!

[Vitesse2]

Some more start money and prize money details in this thread:

http://forums.atlasf...&threadid=66484

[Don Capps]

Originally posted by Doug Nye
I'm pretty sure Salvadori would be truly thrilled to hear how much he was earning.

This is hooey...

DCN

Which was my thought since the team, in this case the Greene family, got the starting mone; but I simply cannot imagine that sort of starting money for a British national event, nor that amount of prize money. Surely there are some extra zeroes rolling around loose..... I doubt there was that much money for for the entire production, £3,000 being a rather significant sum for the day.

[oldtimer]

Originally posted by Don Capps


... £3,000 being a rather significant sum for the day.

In those days, 3,000 pounds sterling could pay for an up-scale house.

[Doug Nye]

Cooper Car Co's racing account - October, 1958 - paid to Jack Brabham for Formula 2 success during the Moroccan Grand Prix at Casablanca:

Casablanca - Starting Money - 480,000 Francs = £384 0s 0d
- Prize Money - 500,000 Francs
- Fastest Lap - 75,000 Francs (combined total) = £460 0s 0d

Dunlop extra bonus re Casablanca = £60 0s 0d

Cooper Car Co Ltd retaining fee = £ 5 0s 0d

Sub-total = £909 0s 0d

Less:

Casablanca loan - 60,000 Francs = £ 48 0s 0d
Cooper Car Co 40% prize money = £184 0s 0d
Cooper Car Co 50% bonus money = £ 30 0s 0d
Casablanca mechanics' bonus = £ 23 0s 0d
Cooper Car Co amount overpaid in Germany £15 0s 0d - £300 0s 0d

TOTAL balance due: £609 0s 0d

Not bad money for a weekend's work...but not (quite) up to modern Grand Prix levels...

DCN

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by David McKinney
You used to get £1000 for winning the New Zealand Grand Prix and as far as I remember that was more than any world championship GP of that time (around 1959) with the exception of the French.
I'd be surprised if Goodwood sprint races paid as much prizemoney as the quote suggests.

Absolutely... Warwick Farm offered the same, but in Aussie quids, for its International race, I'm fairly sure.

Behind the scenes there was a lot of fiddling with starting money (I know Clark got more than Surtees, for instance), but there were huge travelling distances involved.

Australian race programmes are required to show the prizemoney scales, by the way... is that the case in Britain, and does anyone have a programme from that era?

[Eric McLoughlin]

I have NEVER seen prize money details (or any money details, for that matter) in any modern British motor racing programme.

[Rob29]

Maybe because there is'nt any? F1 certainly keep its finances secret. I remember from the 70s in the formula ford narional championship you got £36 for a win,£24 for second,etc.

[RAP]

As per the programme, the prize money for the Easter 1955 Goodwood meeting was -

Richmond Trophy F1 1st 100 guineas, 2nd 50 gn 3rd 25 gn 4th 15 gn
Sports car races 1st 25gn 2nd 15 gn 3rd 10 gn plus 10gn for 1st 1100 in race A if not placed overall
other races 1st 30 gn 2nd 20 gn 3rd 10 gn 4th 5 gn

As I recall a guinea was equivalent to £1 -10s ie £1.05 in today's currency. As an aside it says something about the BARC that prizes were still quoted in gueaneas.

Salvadori's record on the day was
Richmond Trphy Gilby 250F 1st = 100gn
Sports car B Gilby DB3S 1st 25 gn
Sports car C Gliby Cooper Mas 4th = 0
Lavant cup Young's Connaught A type 1st = 30 gn
Chichester Cup F L Gilby 250F 2nd = 20gn
Easter Handicap Gilby 250F 2nd = 20gn

Total 195gn = £205
To adjust to 2004 prices the RPI has moved from 10.8 to 187.4 ie a factor of 17.3 times

Index to 2004 at 17.3X £3542

Might Salvo have received £1000 start money? well, he did run in five races ! I recall that around this time the GP organisers published a schedule of start money. I can't lay my hands on this but from memory it was in the order of £500 - £1000 per car according to the perceived "pulling power" of the team and driver. At Goodwood the leading names were Moss, Hawthorn, Collins and Salvadori so I would guess he would most likely have received more start money than he won as prize money.

Of course, as has already been said, all this would have been split been the driver and entrant on some agreed basis - I beleive 50/50 was quite common. Also, don't forget there would have been bonuses from the Trade eg petrol, plugs companies etc.

Overall, my impression is that in the '50s a successful driver in British national events could expect to cover his costs over a season from prize, appearance and bonus monies.

With regards to Eric's comments about programmes not showing prize money today, tha's because there usually isn't any !! Any money is usually awarded to end of season championship positions. For example the Prog for the Le Mans Endurance series meeting at Silverstone lists the awards for each race. THe Formula Palmer Audi and Formula Ford races it was trophies. The F3 had £500 to the race winner etc


RAP

[Catalina Park]

Leo Geoghegan told me that motor racing in Australia was ruined by decimal currency.
He said that one week they were getting £500 for a win and the next week they were getting $500.

[Ray Bell]

He's only remembering ARDC and Surfers meetings... Warwick Farm didn't do that!

How do you make that pound sign? I want to fix the conversion from guineas for RAP...