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Former Red Bull engineer gives up on F1 due to low pay: 'Ship has sailed'
Former Red Bull engineer Blake Hinsley has spoken out against the low salaries in Formula 1, particularly when compared to other racing series like the World Endurance Championship (WEC). He claims that some F1 engineers earn less than what a part-time role in WEC offers, highlighting a major disparity despite the immense financial resources within Formula 1. Hinsley’s comments raise concerns about how technical experts are compensated in the sport, given their crucial role in shaping race-winning cars.
In Formula 1, engineers endure long hours and intense pressure, pushing their physical and mental limits. However, their financial compensation doesn’t always reflect their efforts. This contrasts with series like the World Endurance Championship (WEC), where some engineers receive better pay with a lighter workload.
Blake Hinsley, who voiced his frustration about this issue on X, sees it as a major problem. He began his post with: "Want to know how f*cked the cost cap in Formula 1 is?"
Hinsley criticises Formula 1 paychecks
"Just had a loose conversation with a recruiter about a F1 race engineer gig. Their MAXIMUM salary was less than I was making last year as a part-time performance engineer in WEC on a LMDh team," the former Red Bull engineer revealed.
"Why aren't the team bosses advocating harder for increased cost cap to accommodate increased cost of living and inflation? Oh yeah... because the teams that are profitable, it's likely the bosses and shareholders can pocket a chunk of whatever they don't spend," the American continued criticism on social media. In a comment under his own post, Hinsley added that he has absolutely no interest in Formula 1 anymore.
'The F1 ship has sailed for me'
"The F1 ship has sailed for me - I have no interest in a 24-race calendar. I quit at 21 races because I wanted to have a life. I am drinking from a firehose learning about endurance racing, and I love it. I get to do so much more than I was able to do in F1 at the track or in a factory capacity and I love the challenge. But it also infuriates me that the FOM, FIA and the teams themselves are fucking over the sport (including a large number of my friends) "because it's F1".
This article was written in collaboration with Estéban den Toom
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