Christian Horner suggested that being best friends with Toto Wolff or any competitor will be dishonest toward his team. A former ally of Toto Wolff now seems to have taken Horner’s comments seriously as hails Ferrari’s $90 Million perk for selfish motives. A perk that put Toto Wolff and Co. at a disadvantage when compared to Ferrari. What is this perk and what are James Vowles’ selfish motives?

Formula 1 is not the easiest sport to survive in. In fact, it’s the opposite. The harsh reality of F1 and motorsport is that one needs constant investment to be competitive in and out every year. If someone isn’t competitive, they get a prize from the prize pool, fewer sponsors, which eventually leads to bankruptcy. Marussia and Caterham are very good recent examples of this. 

There has only ever been 1 team in the history of F1 that has been in the sport ever since its beginning. Yes, it’s a Ferrari. And for the commitment shown by Ferrari to F1, a long-standing team bonus is paid to Ferrari, which is believed to be worth $90,000,000. Nonetheless, many believe that it is an unfair advantage to Ferrari and that this bonus should be removed to make things equal.

However, Toto Wolff’s once ally James Vowles believes that the bonus is justified. According to Motorsport-Total.com, Vowles said, “I think Ferrari brings something special to the sport. That’s the truth behind it. They bring a certain degree of heritage and recognition to the sport. So I think there is a reason why these things exist. It’s about how the sport has grown. I’m not against individuals getting more.” [translated via google]

While Vowles is right in suggesting that Ferrari brings something special to the sport, his hidden selfish motives weren’t revealed. Williams and McLaren both receive a heritage bonus as well. The News Wheel suggests the Willams get $10,000,000 as a heritage bonus. This can very well be a great incentive for Vowles to speak in favor of the Long Standing Team bonus. 

Read More: After Lewis Hamilton’s Contract Boost, George Russell Ordered to Be “Self Critical” to Recover Against Rampant F1 Legend

However, these aren’t all the bonuses. Let’s see what other bonuses are theirs and how the prize money is distributed. 

The F1 Prize structure and various bonuses

The Prize pool of about $1 Billion is divided amongst all the 10 teams based on their constructors’ standing. The higher one finishes, the more the percentage of the Prize fund is received. However, this isn’t all, as various other bonuses also add up to the total payout of an F1 team. As we’ve mentioned above, there is a Long Standing Team bonus and a Heritage bonus for the team that has been in F1 for a considerable time.

Then comes the CCB (Constructors Championship Bonus) given to the Top 3 teams that have the most race wins over a period of 4 years. Then there’s a bonus for a team who wins the constructors at least 2 times in the 4 years of a CCB. However, post 2021, these rules are believed to have changed and a bonus for a works team is believed to be added. The Ferrari LST bonus is advised to be reduced, whereas Williams and McLaren’s heritage bonus is speculated to vanish.

Watch this Story: How Long Will Charles Leclerc Wait for Ferrari – Will He Leave for Some Other Team Post-2024?

What do you think? Is the LST bonus for Ferrari justified?