SHOULD F1 FOLLOW NASCAR, BAN DRIVERS/TEAMS FROM BETTING

The ugly spectre of gambling is creeping into Formula 1 as we speak, with the myriad of ways in which teams and drivers can manipulate results it is surprising that placing a bet on any motorised sports is even allowed by governments let alone sports associations.

The Associated Press reports that with the prospect of cheating in mind Nascar have set a precedent by banning competitors from betting on its races as part of new gambling guidelines established in this season’s rulebook.

Nascar employees are prohibited from disclosing confidential information and from requesting insider information that could potentially help “their own gain or for the gain of others.”

They are allowed to participate in fantasy sports relating to the three national touring series, Cup, Xfinity and Truck, but may not accept prizes with a value of more than $250 in any games.

Nascar partnered with Sportradar Integrity Services to develop a comprehensive gambling policy intended to protect the integrity of the sport, concluded the report.

All sports are open to cheating in the name of gambling, a well-known scourge of horse racing, cricket, soccer, boxing and just about all mainstream sports.

‘Taking a Dive’ in sport is as old as the hills.

The opportunities for “insider trading” in motorsport is vast while tampering a result in F1 or Karting (and everything in between) is remarkably simple and extremely, if not impossible, to police or even bust after the fact.

Which begs the question: How can authorities allow the public to bet on motor racing let alone Formula 1?

Consider these very basic and obvious examples:

• Fictitious Example 1: You put a bet on Valtteri to win the Russian Grand Prix, you drop ten grand to get 10-1 odds from your bookie. You are looking like a winner for having faith in the Finn, until Toto  decides to hand Lewis the victory. Did the Merc boss have a mate with money on Lewis?
• Fictitious Example 2: A backmarker driver who crashes a lot gets a mate to a put 100K bet that he will crash within the first ten minutes of Monaco Grand Prix FP1.
  The mate gets 10 to 1 odds that driver will crash, the driver does as planned and on Monday his mate goes and collects a million in winnings from the bookies.

You get the drift…

It is no secret that Formula 1 are intent on maximising what they can with the extensive data they have at their disposal. In-race betting is on the cards perhaps even by the start of the forthcoming season

When sporting chiefs talk about digital assets, apart from the obvious value of content, without saying it, they also count the gambling potential of sport because that’s where the serious money is.

The online gambling industry gobbled up $44.16-billion in 2016 and is estimated to reach $82-billion by 2022. And that’s the ‘legal’ stuff double or triple that to include ‘illegal’ gambling.

A couple of years ago Liberty Media chief executive Greg Maffei said, “Outside of the United States there is a huge gambling opportunity in the sport, none of which we capitalize on.”

In September last year, Maffei got what he wanted when F1 announced a $100-million five year deal with Interregional Sports Group (ISG) to enable the development of live in-race betting during grands prix.

F1 commercial chief, Sean Bratches said at the time, “This deal allows us to develop new and exciting ways for Formula 1 fans around the globe to engage with the world’s greatest racing spectacle, while ensuring integrity with best practice oversight from Sportradar.”

He would say that, wouldn’t he? But what about the crooks? And the addicts? Has he a plan for them?

Apart from a cheating plague motorsport gambling triggers there is the sadder problem of gambling addiction – like drugs like booze gambling is addictive, and seriously so in this era of online betting.

Addiction.com reports: “As with all types of data, certain trends or patterns of behaviour start to surface within a given population. Gambling addiction statistics are no different.”

“Some of the more prevalent gambling trends show:

• The likelihood of developing a gambling addiction increases 23-fold for people affected by alcohol use disorders
• Over 80 percent of American adults gamble on a yearly basis
• Three to five gamblers out of every hundred struggles with a gambling problem”

The report adds: “As far as gambling and criminal activity goes, gambling addiction statistics reveal a direct correlation between the severity of a gambling addiction and the likelihood of committing crimes. Rates of gambling addiction for criminal offenders far exceed rates found among non-offenders. On average, an estimated 50 percent of those affected by gambling problems commit crimes in order to support their addiction.”

GrandPrix247, being in English, is frequented mainly by USA, British, Canadian, South African and Australian F1 fans where online gambling is sharply on the rise:

North American Foundation for Gambling Addiction Help has this to say about addiction to betting:

• In Australia statistics on problem gambling among the population shows quite high numbers. Approximately 0.5-1% (figures vary in different states) of citizens suffer from this addiction. This is so due to the changes in the betting industry due to digital technologies.
• Canada is among the countries with the highest percentage of gambling addicted citizens. Imagine that ¼ of all residents (or their friends/relatives) have suffered from some sort of bad consequences (job loss, depression, marriage problems and etc.) owing to their dependence.
• In the United Kingdom, addiction drains a lot of money (about £1.2 billion annually). Therefore, the government should pay special attention to this issue. According to various scientific sources, the cost also comprises special institutions service (mental health clinics), homelessness and police involvement.”
• The USA is in the top list of countries, where a huge part of the population (2.6% or almost 10 million people) has an addiction problem because of gambling. These activities are represented in every state (even where they are restricted). Overall, compulsive betting behaviour costs about $6-billion per year for U.S. economics.
• Note: No South African gambling info in the same report.

Governments, the FIA and motorsport authorities of every discipline, motorcycles and cars MUST BAN gambling at all costs, because motor racing is the least tinker-proof sport of all the ball games and solo sports put together. In other words: do the right thing, folks.

However unlikely that is, Formula 1 should at least take a leaf out of Nascar and stop drivers and team members from betting on the sport they compete in. The FIA should follow the example too.

HAMILTON TOPS LIST OF 2019 F1 DRIVER SALARIES

It’s that time of the year when Formula 1 driver salaries are speculated upon and this year, five-time Formula 1 World Champion, Lewis Hamilton will again be the highest paid driver on the grid, with his Ferrari rival Sebastian Vettel second on the list.

F1 Weekends YouTube Channel claim first dibs on who will earn what in F1 this year, with the video (above} listing the Class of 2019 and what they are expected to bank for their efforts in the top flight for the next twelve months.

Mercedes and associates will be dishing out a staggering $57-million for Hamilton’s services, with Vettel reportedly banking $12-million less but will still take home $45-million.

To put that into perspective: the combined salaries of the rest of the 18 drivers amounts to about $65-million.

Third on the list, thanks to his move from Red Bull to Renault is Ricciardo whose salary has jumped to $17-million, a tad more than his former teammate Max Verstappen will earn. The Dutchman is fourth on the list.

Kimi Raikkonen takes a big cut in salary by moving to Sauber for $4.5-million, he was banking around $7-million per year from Ferrari during the last two seasons he spent with the Reds.

Nico Hulkenberg will have an incentive to beat his new teammate, the German getting a quarter what Ricciardo will earn with his $4.5-million.

Other big movers on the salary front are McLaren bound Carlos Sainz on $4-million and Ferrari new boy Charles Leclerc set to add $3.5-million to his bank account.

Sergio Perez’s $3.6-million is triple what Lance Stroll with earn despite Daddy owning the team the youngster will get $1.2-million pocket money.

Another one who will seeking a raise come the end of the year is Pierre Gasly who was promoted to Red Bull from Toro Rosso, his salary doubling to $1.4-million, but still a tenth of what his teammate Verstappen will be drawing, while comeback kid Daniil Kvyat comes in at a bargain basement 300K for Toro Rosso.

Robert Kubica will pocket a modest $570K for his comeback with Williams. In 2010, before his rally accident, the Pole was paid $7.5-million by Renault for the same job.

Of the rookies, Lando Norris got the best deal with 260K heading his way from McLaren, while Toro Rosso’s Alexander Albon’s deal will see him paid 170K – least of all the drivers.

Notable too is the fact that for the services of experienced Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen, Haas are shelling out a mere $3-million for the pair. What’s the price of an F1 front-wing?

2019 Formula 1 Drivers Salaries:

DRIVER	TEAM	SALARY
Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	$57,000,000
Sebastian Vettel	Ferrari	$45,000,000
Daniel Ricciardo	Renault	$17,000,000
Max Verstappen	Red Bull	$13,500,000
Valtteri Bottas	Mercedes	$8,500,000
Kimi Raikkonen	Sauber	$4,500,000
Nico Hulkenberg	Renault	$4,500,000
Carlos Sainz	McLaren	$4,000,000
Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	$3,500,000
Sergio Perez	Racing Point	$3,500,000
Romain Grosjean	Haas	$1,800,000
Pierre Gasly	Red Bull	$1,400,000
Lance Stroll	Racing Point	$1,200,000
Kevin Magnussen	Haas	$1,200,000
Robert Kubica	Williams	$570,000
Daniil Kvyat	Toro Rosso	$300,000
Lando Norris	McLaren	$260,000
Antonio Giovinazzi	Sauber	$230,000
George Russell	Williams	$180,000
Alexander Albon	Toro Rosso	$170,000

According to the report, the twenty F1 drivers will this year will earn a combined $168-million at an average of $8.4-million.

A discrepancy that exists in the list is the question of Vettel’s salary, Forbes below have him on $50-million which is five mil more than the above mentioned.


Top Formula 1 Contracts of all time (Source: Forbes)

Driver	F1 Team	Contract Value	Annual Salary	Per Race	Contract Duration
Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes F1	$170-million	$56.6-million	$2.83-million	2019-2021
Kimi Raikkonen	Ferrari F1	$153-million	$51-million	$2.94-million	2007-2009
Sebastian Vettel	Ferrari F1	$150-million	$50-million	$2.5-million	2018-2020
Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes F1	$140-million	$46.6-million	$2.3-million	2016-2018
Michael Schumacher	Ferrari F1	$124-million	$31-million	$1.9-million	1996-1999
Fernando Alonso	McLaren	$90-million	$30-million	$1.5-million	2017-2019
Ayrton Senna	Williams	$60-million	$20-million	$1.25-million	1994-1996?

2019 F1 ENTRY FEES

Reigning double 2018 Formula 1 World Champions, Mercedes will have to pay nearly $5-million in entry fees in 2019 for the ‘privilege’ of scoring the most points last year and hence winning the title.

The system is something of a double-edged sword, as the more points a team scores the higher their entry fee for the following year, which begs the question: Why did Mercedes bother to turn up in Abu Dhabi?

They had wrapped up the title a race earlier, thus scoring more points at the season finale simply added to their bill…

Nevertheless, that’s the way the FIA see fit to tax the teams, and this is what teams paid in entry fees to the FIA last year:

2019 Formula 1 World Championship Entry Fees:

• Mercedes: $4,838,348
• Ferrari: $3,663,222
• Red Bull: $2,833,454
• Renault: $1,212,131
• Haas: $1,053,820
• McLaren: $884,591
• Racing Point: $830,001
• Sauber: $808,165
• Toro Rosso: $726,280
• Williams: $584,346

Teams pay a basic annual F1 entry fee to the FIA of $546,133, furthermore, as World Champions, Mercedes paid $6,553 per point scored during the 2018 season while the other nine paid $5,459 per point scored.

VILLENEUVE: ADVICE TO PARENTS IS TELL YOUR KID TO DO SOMETHING ELSE

Straight talking Jacques Villeneuve has advice for parents seeking a career in motorsport for their kids: don’t do it because it is becoming a niche sport increasingly for the very rich and has created the ‘Feed Racing’ programme to help talented drivers who need funding.

Five-year budgets for youngsters on the ladder to Formula 1 through traditional avenues run into the tens of millions, increasingly tilting the field towards the children of well-heeled parents while talented youngsters fail to progress due to lack of funding.

“I’ve been in the paddocks for a number of years now, I see how it’s going and it really worries me, maybe because I have kids too. Often, parents come to me for advice: What do I do with my Kid? My first response is: Tell him to do something else.”

“It’s awful as an answer, but I’m not able to lie at that level. Now getting your kid on track is like giving him Christmas every day, with a big tree. It’s no longer about developing talented children and it has started to bother me deeply.”

“It was, therefore, necessary to find a solution for drivers with limited means to gain access to this sport,” added Villeneuve who has started the initiative with friend and former race driver Patrick Lemarié.

The first edition of the program starts in April. The program should raise $1,6 M with 96 aspiring young drivers anticipated to participate in a five-day driver training camp at Magny-Cours circuit using Mygale Formula 4. Entry fee is $17,000 per driver.

From this group, 48 drivers will be selected for the quarterfinals, 24 for the semifinals and five for the final with the winning driver receiving funding for a full European Formula 4 championship in 2020, the cost of this around $300,000 and $450,000.