Even so, his parents still couldn’t afford the mounting bills. Michael Schumacher had no choice but to work as a mechanic in the family’s workshop to help make ends meet. He not only repaired his own kart but also fixed other drivers’ machines. Yet his talent was undeniable. At this point, a local businessman named Jürgen Dilk noticed him and became Schumacher’s very first sponsor. With financial backing, Michael began his professional racing career.
In 1983, he won the German Junior Karting Championship. But moving up to higher levels meant facing the challenge of paying for much more expensive cars. That’s when the man who would change his life appeared: Willi Weber. Weber saw Schumacher’s potential and fully supported him. With his help, Schumacher became the German F3 champion in 1990. Around this time, the late Eddie Jordan, owner of the Jordan team, also noticed the rising star. In 1991, Schumacher finally got his shot. Jordan told him the team urgently needed a short-term replacement driver. Schumacher seized the opportunity and soon after moved to Benetton, where his journey toward seven world championships began. The German driver had staged Formula 1’s very own Cinderella story.
But not all “rich kids” in F1 are negative examples. Take Lando Norris, for instance. Born into a wealthy British family, his father Adam Norris is worth an estimated $250 million. Adam was one of the founders of Hargreaves Lansdown, the UK’s largest retail pension provider, and is now the founder and CEO of an electric company. His accumulated wealth ranked him 610th on the UK’s rich list.
Lando’s privileged background gave him enormous support in his karting and junior formula career. He had access to the best karts and equipment, and more importantly, his father could afford to move him up to higher series when he was ready. Compared to most kids his age, he was undeniably fortunate. But he also stood out as one of the most naturally gifted “rich kid drivers.”
In 2014, Norris not only won local championships but also clinched the World Karting Championship. By 2017, he had entered F3 and signed with McLaren’s junior program. In 2019, he rose above a field of young drivers to earn a full-time McLaren F1 seat. Along the way, he relied not just on his father’s money but on his own dedication and skill. In many ways, Norris is the exception among wealthy drivers. His personality also shows little trace of the spoiled stereotype people expect from a “rich kid.”
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