5 successful F1 drivers you never knew started as pay drivers

In common parlance, F1 is considered to be the epitome of motorsport, a sport where the quickest drivers in the world go head to head each year in order to determine the ultimate world champion.But with F1 also being a commercial enterprise, corporate sponsors have had key influence on teams on numerous occasions. Sometimes, this influence comes in the form of financially backed drivers, who make their way into the sport majorly due to the backing of such corporate organizations.Such drivers have now been termed as pay drivers. Now as the term itself suggests, it does bring into mind a negative perception about such a grand and successful sport, which has subsisted for more than half a century. But with the teams undergoing financial miseries for a while, such drivers are starting to get more and more prominent every year.It is indeed portraying the sport in a bad light, as through financial sponsors, as even drivers who are not talented enough are making their way into F1, thereby decreasing the overall quality of drivers competing in the sport.But the pay driver concept doesn’t always have to be a bad thing. It has been witnessed time and again that financial backing has on numerous occasions fast tracked the career of talented drivers, who without this backing would have found it difficult to get into such an expensive sport only on the grounds of talent.More importantly, the financial backing only provided a boost to drivers' careers, but it was on the basis of their talent alone that they carved their way forward in the sport. This essentially differentiates them from those drivers who primarily rely on funding to keep their Formula 1 careers alive.On the basis of the above, here is a look at the 5 most successful F1 drivers who may have required financial help to get into the sport, but got through it majorly on the basis of their talent and skill, moving forward to eventually achieve unparalleled greatness.

#5 Mark Webber

Although he never clinched the world title, ‘Aussie Grit’ earned enough accolades during his career to earn the reputation equivalent of a World Champion.

Almost throughout his decade long career, Webber never got drive with a competitive team, and when he did get one, it was all too late as the Australian was already past his prime and with a young and supremely talented Sebastian Vettel as teammate didn’t help his cause either.

But despite all these hurdles, Webber had a solid career during which he earned 9 wins, 13 poles and 42 podiums, almost clinching the title in 2010.

But, before all this happened, Webber had found it difficult to get into F1, with even a brief foray into sportscar racing with Mercedes in late 1990s. After a failed attempt with Arrows F1 Team, it was in 2002 at the age of 25 that he got his breakthrough in F1 through Minardi.

This was majorly made possible through the assistance of Flavio Briatore and his personal sponsors from Australia - Fosters and Telstra.

The team was pretty much a back marker, but it had provided the required footing for the Australian to establish his name in the sport, albeit a bit late compared to the other drivers of his generation.

#4 Niki Lauda

His name has now become tantamount with bravery and stubbornness and quite rightly so due to the sheer will and determination with which he fought the 1976 Championship even after sustaining near fatal injuries.

During his career, Niki Lauda made his name as a calculative and precise driver whose approach led him to clinch three world titles, two of them with Ferrari and another with McLaren after making a comeback to the sport in the early 1980s.

Before achieving such monumental success, Lauda had been struggling to get into F1 in the 1970s. In 1972, he finally took a £30,000 bank loan and essentially bought his way into the newcomer March team.

To move further up the ranks, he took another loan to join BRM team, where he was paired alongside Clay Regazzoni. Later, when Regazzoni left the team for Ferrari, it was he who convinced Enzo Ferrari to sign Lauda with the team, thus paving the way for what turned out to be a stellar career.

#3 Fernando Alonso

The Spaniard has essentially established himself as one of the greatest drivers of all time, despite winning just two world titles.

In a long and enduring career, Alonso won the world title two years in succession with Renault and then went on to finish 2nd in the Championship several times during his association with Ferrari. But, it is not the number of titles, but the impeccable race craft which the ‘Spanish Samurai’ has displayed time and again, that has cemented his status as one of the true legends of the sport.

But surprisingly, initially he too had to take financial assistance to get into F1.

Already having a strong junior formula career, Alonso’s F1 chances got the required boost when through the financial backing from Flavio Briatore, he got a seat with the Minardi Team, who although were not competitive, still had provided an entrance to the man, who later was going to influence F1 like no one before him.

#2 Juan Manuel Fangio

The Argentine legend dominated the sport like no other, winning 5 world titles with 4 different teams. Although Schumacher has now bettered this record, but even he couldn’t surpass this record while driving for so many teams as Fangio did.

Also, the fact that he dominated at a time when the sport was undergoing one of its most dangerous era, bears further testament to his achievements.

But while describing his achievements, one crucial fact goes unnoticed that it was through the funding and support provided by Juan Peron, the then President of Argentina, that he was able to make his breakthrough in F1.

Peron, a huge sports enthusiast, was highly interested towards improving the reputation of his country in international sporting scenario with already having played a crucual role towards Argentina gaining hosting rights for the 1950 Basketball World Cup and the 1951 Pan American Games.

When he witnessed Fangio’s extreme talent, it took no time for him to agree to sponsor his endeavors in F1. Without his assistance, it would have been nearly impossible for the Argentine to break into the European racing scene and we would have never got to know a driver whose name has now become synonymous with F1.

#1 Michael Schumacher

The ‘Red Baron’ as he is commonly known by his fans due to his long association with Ferrari, has forever sealed his name in hall of fame by clinching an astonishing 7 world titles. During his two decade long career, he won the title twice for Benetton and then went on an unprecedented streak, winning 5 titles in a row for Ferrari.

But before his arrival in F1, he had been associated with Mercedes, who in the early 1990s, were intending to re-enter F1 as manufacturer and were nurturing Schumacher as their driver. With impressive performances in sportscar races, he had already made an impression upon the German manufacturer and when a seat with Jordan became available midway through 1991 season, the brand provided $150,000 to the team in order to sign Schumacher with the them.

Although, it essentially turned out to be a one race deal, as soon after the race, the German defected to Benetton and went on to etch out the most successful career ever.