Max Verstappen argued that the popularity of Formula One is growing because of the drivers "who really promote the show," so it doesn't make sense for them to have their salaries capped in the name of saving money
The idea of creating a salary cap for Formula 1 drivers as an alternative to help save money throughout the season was seen as "completely wrong" by 2022 World Championship leader Max Verstappen. The Red Bull Dutchman highlighted the increasing popularity of the category and questioned why those primarily responsible for this growth would be affected, as they risk their lives in the name of the sport.
The topic came up amidst constant complaints from the grid teams - especially the big four, Ferrari, Red Bull, Mercedes and McLaren - about F1's budget limit, currently set at US$140 million. As the FIA doesn't seem willing to give in, alternatives have been thought about, and one of them would involve the drivers' salaries, since F1's spending cap doesn't cover the amounts paid to them and also to other team members.
"It's completely wrong, because I think at the moment F1 is becoming more and more popular, and everyone is making more and more and more money, including the teams and the others who benefit from that," Verstappen said. "So why should the drivers, who have their intellectual property rights and everything else, who really promote the show and risk their lives, have their salaries capped? Because we are the ones who do it. So, to me, it's completely wrong," he stressed.
Another point raised by the reigning F1 champion is regarding the young people who are in the lower divisions and seek financial support to rise to the elite of world motorsport. Once they have limited earnings, this can discourage sponsors' interest.
"In all the base categories, you can see how many drivers have a sponsor who will eventually get a percentage of that income in F1, so I think this will limit it a lot, as they will never get that financial return if there is a limit. It will hurt the lower leagues, and I don't think anyone would like to see that," he concluded.