The Finance app tracks every dollar in and out of the team. It’s the dashboard you check every weekend before clicking Next GP — running out of cash is a soft fail state (you can’t pay drivers / suppliers / staff and morale collapses).
The screen at a glance
The Finance app has three sections:
1. Current
Headline numbers:
- Current budget — cash on hand RIGHT NOW
- Last GP delta — change since the previous race weekend
- Season-to-date — total in/out since the season started
2. Projection
Looks ~4 weeks ahead based on current contracts:
- Projected end-of-season budget
- Burn rate / week
- First negative week (if any) — flagged in red
3. Breakdown
A table of recurring inflows and outflows. This is where you diagnose budget problems.
Inflows (what feeds your budget)
| Source | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsor payouts | Per GP | Base × tier multiplier (Principal x2). See Sponsors for the formula |
| Race prize money | Per GP | Total race_prize_total (default $1.5M) split by finishing position |
| Championship prize money | End of season | Total championship_prize_total (default $50M) split by constructor standing |
| Sponsor signing bonus | One-time | Currently 0 in code; reserved feature |
| Sponsor objective bonus | End of season | Hit primary objective → bonus payout (varies) |
| Supplier partnership | Per GP | Partnership-tier suppliers PAY you (~20K–350K × budget mult) |
Sponsor payout — the dominant inflow
Calibrated for ~30–40% of total weekend revenue. A team with 1 Principal (budget 7, prom 7) + 4 Secondaries (budget 5–6, prom 3–5) at mid-season nets roughly:
- Principal: 7 × 11,700 × 1.2 × 2 = ~$197K/GP
- 4 Secondaries: ~$60K avg × 4 = $240K/GP
- Total per GP: ~$437K
Over a 16-GP season: ~$7M. A Large-budget team can clear $20M/season from sponsors alone.
Race prize money — second-tier inflow
race_prize_total (default $1.5M) is split across the finishing positions weighted toward the front:
| Position | Approx share |
|---|---|
| 1st | 25% |
| 2nd | 18% |
| 3rd | 14% |
| 4th–6th | 10% / 8% / 6% |
| 7th–10th | 5% / 4% / 3% / 2% |
| 11th–16th | declining shares |
| 17th+ | $0 |
A consistent points-finisher (P5–P8 every weekend) makes ~$80K–$150K per GP from race prize.
Championship prize money — bonus
championship_prize_total (default $50M) is split end-of-season by constructor standing. P1 takes ~$15–20M, P10 takes ~$1M. Big chunk for top teams; near-zero for backmarkers.
Outflows (what drains your budget)
| Cost | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Driver salaries | Per GP (or per week if salaried) | Stat-driven — top-stat drivers can be $1M+/GP |
| Reserve driver salary | Per GP | Reserve = 50% of equivalent main driver salary |
| Staff payroll | Per week | All non-driver staff (engineers, mechanics, etc.) |
| Supplier client costs | Per GP | Client-tier suppliers — you PAY them (60K–350K × budget mult for engine; less for tire/fuel) |
| Infrastructure upgrade | One-time | Per-level cost; ramps up by department + level |
| R&D part design | One-time | Started in R&D screen; cost varies by tier (Low / Mid / High) |
| Buy new part | One-time | Replace a destroyed part instead of repair-WU; budget-funded |
| Fines / penalties | Per event | News-event-triggered (rare); penalty for missed objectives etc. |
| Sponsor walk penalty | When a sponsor leaves mid-contract | Reputation hit + clawback if you breach |
Salary scaling
Driver salary roughly scales with average stats:
| Average stat | Approx salary per GP |
|---|---|
| 5 (rookie) | $40K |
| 10 (mid-grid) | $150K |
| 15 (top half) | $500K |
| 18+ (elite) | $1.2M |
A Large-budget team’s two top drivers can run $30M+/season in salary alone. Watch this when scouting.
Supplier client cost
If you sign a Client-tier engine supplier with budget rating 6, you pay roughly:
- Engine client: 60K–350K × (6/5) = ~$72K–$420K per GP
- Tire client: similar but generally lower band
- Fuel client: lowest band
A Partnership-tier supplier flips the sign — they pay you. See Suppliers.
How to read the breakdown
The breakdown table sorts by absolute value (largest items first). Look for:
- Driver salary > sponsor income: you can’t afford your roster. Scout cheaper drivers next year.
- Supplier costs > sponsor income: you signed too many Client-tier suppliers. Try to negotiate Partnership instead.
- Infrastructure upgrade dwarfing everything: you over-committed. The upgrade is a one-time payment but might leave you cash-thin for repairs.
Common cashflow patterns
Healthy team
Sponsors income +$450K/GP
Race prize +$120K/GP
----------
Inflow ~$570K/GP
Driver salaries -$300K/GP
Supplier client -$80K/GP
Staff payroll -$30K/week × 4 = -$120K/GP
----------
Outflow ~$500K/GP
Net per GP +$70K
Season net +$1.1M (16 GPs)Bleeding team (small budget over-extending)
Sponsors income +$250K/GP
Race prize +$30K/GP (P12 average)
----------
Inflow ~$280K/GP
Driver salaries -$400K/GP (signed a top driver)
Supplier client -$150K/GP (engine + tire client)
Staff payroll -$30K/week × 4 = -$120K/GP
----------
Outflow ~$670K/GP
Net per GP -$390K
Season-end ~-$6M (bankruptcy by mid-season)When the projection app shows a “First negative week” date, you have a budget problem. Fix it before the date — fire a top-cost driver, downgrade an infrastructure plan, or push for a bigger Principal sponsor.
End-of-season reconciliation
After the final GP:
- Championship prize money paid out (constructor + driver standings)
- Sponsor objective bonuses applied
- Supplier objective bonuses applied + fiability boosts
- Contract renewals roll forward
- Year-over-year carryover: budget surplus rolls into year 2
A profitable year 1 sets you up for infrastructure investment in year 2. A loss-making year 1 means starting year 2 with reduced reputation and limited sponsor access.
Budget tier reminders
| Tier | Starting cash | Reputation | First-season expectation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | ~$15M | 30 | Break-even is the goal; profit is gravy |
| Medium | ~$35M | 50 | Comfortable break-even; profitable with discipline |
| Large | ~$70M | 70 | Easy profit; focus on infrastructure / multi-year planning |
Related pages
- Sponsors — biggest inflow source
- Suppliers — biggest outflow swing (client vs. partnership)
- Settings → Career Sliders — adjust prize-money totals