Two-time Formula 1 world champion Emerson Fittipaldi called for teams and the FIA to work together to make sure talent is a more important factor than money when it comes to securing a seat in the sport.
Pay drivers have long been a part of F1. Through the decades there have been scores of racers with a lot of talent, but who have not been given a shot in the series because of other, less capable racers who were able to pay to land a seat.
Measures such as the FIA's superlicence system have been taken to reduce this, but it still happens. For example, three of the last four F2 champions have failed to find a seat after their title-winning seasons, the exception being Mick Schumacher after his 2020 success.
And it was while commenting on the German's current situation that Fittipaldi claimed there are still too many pay drivers in the sport. Schumacher is in danger of losing his seat next season as Haas consider their options, and the Brazilian believes this is a sign that the team may be hoping to sign someone with cash to burn.
"I think Mick this year has done a very good job. He improved a lot – I cannot judge," Fittipaldi told VegasInsider. "Unfortunately, in racing today all the way from karting, Formula 4, Formula 3, and Formula 2, money makes the difference.
"We have a tremendous wave of kids with a lot of money and sponsors who come to racing and want to be an F1 driver, but sometimes the talent is not good. And then you have a possible driver, like Mick Schumacher, who has good talent, is dedicated, and makes a good effort to be in Formula 1.
"If the team made that comment that he is too expensive for the team [because of his costly crashes this season] that means the team needs someone with money. That is something we have to change for the future. We need more talent and less money in racing.
"That's the vision I have for the future. Unfortunately, we all have to work together to achieve that. The FIA, Formula 1, the teams, and the sponsors have to make that change for the future. It has to be a global mutual effort to change that for the future. I hope we can make it work."
Fittipaldi's grandson Pietro is a reserve driver for Haas. However, it is not believed that the Brazilian is in the running for the 2023 race seat if the team does decide to replace Schumacher with another racer.
