From Planet F1:

It’s not just today’s Formula 1 drivers who would feel the knock-on effects of such a cap, Verstappen claimed. He foresees a real impact for junior drivers in their efforts to reach the top. Drivers racing in lower categories rely heavily on sponsors or financial backers to further their careers, which becomes less of a lucrative investment if their future earnings could potentially be lower.

“In all the junior categories, you see how many of those drivers have a sponsor or a backer, who eventually will have a certain percentage of their income in potentially F1 or wherever,” Verstappen explained. “I think it’s going to limit that a lot because they will never get their return in money if you get a cap. So it will hurt all the junior categories as well and I don’t think you want that.”

Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas echoed the world champion’s view. “In the end when you come up with the different categories you need financial support and eventually the investors who invest in you they are expecting a good payback,” he said.

“If that is being limited, with already being this big risk for the investor, it will become an even bigger risk.”

But drivers remain concerned a salary cap could make it harder for the sport’s future superstars to make it through the junior categories in the first place.

While some such as Lance Stroll, Lando Norris and Nicholas Latifi were in the privileged position of having financial backing from their parents, many others such as Esteban Ocon, Pierre Gasly, Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton had to win backing from F1 teams or other sponsors. Without that backing, those drivers have run out of money before reaching F1.

Norris, sat next to Verstappen at the same press conference, agreed – believing that the need for a return on investment for financial backers could hamper drivers receiving sponsor income in the first place.

“I think Max explained it well, really – mainly because I’ve not had to think about it probably as much as him,” Norris added.

“So, I think what he said is correct, and especially with the investment part into young drivers. It’s difficult enough to get into Formula 1 at all, so as soon as you have the backing, where you have an investor, as a driver.

“They obviously want their money back at some point and you’re going to have to do that. If it gets capped, and so on, it’s much harder, and will interest people much less to ever invest into young drivers and invest into people having chances to get to Formula 1 in the first place.

“So, I think that’s probably one of the main points. But Max has probably thought about it much better than me – and therefore his answer is better.”