[E.B]

I agree with that possibility.....

Unfortunately the likes of Petrov and Maldonado with their huge 'incentive' packages, backed by government or state owned businesses to the tune of tens of millions have seemingly set up a new benchmark level of support that a new driver to F1 is expected to have available to secure an opening.

Petrov, who already seemingly had a huge (by prior standards of a pay driver) sponsorship package to back his F1 entry this year...... yet as soon as the rumours started to break that his 2011 position at Renault was a bit dodgy, he has come back with a guarantee from no less than Russian President Putin with what seems to be additional support 'as required' to keep a Russian in F1 as we get to the reality of a Russian GP on an F1 calendar in the near future.

All of a sudden Petrov seems to be secure at Renault (with the justification suddenly being one race at Abu Dhabi). Of course we know the truth is the extra financial incentive from the Russian Govt being the deal swinger.

And when said Petrov benefactor President Putin is seen driving at a Renault organised F1 driverday, driving Renault liveried F1 cars plus other lesser formula cars as a lead up and training to the F1 drive it could be said to have more than helped in Petrov's case.

With Maldonado having paid one million dollars for his recent testing days, and with some teams clearly looking at testing as an opportunity to raise cash with the sale of a seat for a day available to anyone with the cash as being more important than any thought of developing the car or driver......

Others may not agree but I see many similarities to the driver market and the way the traditional F1 calendar is now evolving, where races are awarded not to the most suitable venues with motorsport heritage and culture, but more now a bugger the show its the government funding and financial benefit rather than what is good for the sport......

In a similar way it now seems that even top midfield teams (ie Williams and Renault) may have one bona fide driver with talent an optional requirement for the second seat, an option of secondary importance to a good government backed and guaranteed source of funding in the area of 20million plus.

Of course Bernie did start that trend in a way with his policy at Brabham becoming one of a top #1 driver with a wealthy privateer to fund the team and pay the #1 drivers wages in the days of Piquet and the support of Rebaque etc.

Of course pay drivers have always been there even in the fifties, but now it is a move to government funded pay drivers with budgets many third world nations would love to have....