An increasing trend for ‘pay drivers’ in formula one is casting a pall over the futures of many of the sport’s existing names.<\/p>\n
Even Rubens Barrichello, the most experienced driver in the sport’s history, is having to wait for Williams to evaluate the talent of the well-funded new GP2 champion Pastor Maldonado in Abu Dhabi later this month.<\/p>\n
“I’m talking deeply with Williams and nobody else. My feeling is that I will be here next year,” he said confidently on Thursday.<\/p>\n
His teammate Nico Hulkenberg is less confident.<\/p>\n
“What can I say?” said the 23-year-old German, who stands to lose his seat after just a single season in F1.<\/p>\n
“It is very hard and it’s very unfortunate and disappointing that formula one is in the situation again of pay drivers.”<\/p>\n
Adrian Sutil, with $5m in backing from the German electronics brand Medion, was also thought a contender for the Williams seat but it is now expected he is staying with Force India.<\/p>\n
Nick Heidfeld had hoped Sutil’s move might open up a rare vacancy in an F1 paddock still feeling the effect of a shortage of sponsors and the global financial crisis.<\/p>\n
When asked about his situation regarding 2011, he answered on Thursday: “It’s about others, about politics and about money.”<\/p>\n
Heidfeld agrees with Hulkenberg that pay-drivers are wielding more influence today than in the recent past.<\/p>\n
“It’s massively worse than it was a few years ago — if I brought money, I would be easily in formula one (in 2011),” said the 33-year-old.<\/p>\n
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