An increasing trend for ‘pay drivers’ in formula one is casting a pall over the futures of many of the sport’s existing names.

Even Rubens Barrichello, the most experienced driver in the sport’s history, is having to wait for Williams to evaluate the talent of the well-funded new GP2 champion Pastor Maldonado in Abu Dhabi later this month.

“I’m talking deeply with Williams and nobody else. My feeling is that I will be here next year,” he said confidently on Thursday.

His teammate Nico Hulkenberg is less confident.

“What can I say?” said the 23-year-old German, who stands to lose his seat after just a single season in F1.

“It is very hard and it’s very unfortunate and disappointing that formula one is in the situation again of pay drivers.”

Adrian Sutil, with $5m in backing from the German electronics brand Medion, was also thought a contender for the Williams seat but it is now expected he is staying with Force India.

Nick Heidfeld had hoped Sutil’s move might open up a rare vacancy in an F1 paddock still feeling the effect of a shortage of sponsors and the global financial crisis.

When asked about his situation regarding 2011, he answered on Thursday: “It’s about others, about politics and about money.”

Heidfeld agrees with Hulkenberg that pay-drivers are wielding more influence today than in the recent past.

“It’s massively worse than it was a few years ago — if I brought money, I would be easily in formula one (in 2011),” said the 33-year-old.

The likelihood of Hyundai entering formula one in the near future has diminished.

Some years ago, the Korean carmaker – currently the fifth largest in the world and comprising Kia – was linked with Minardi when Paul Stoddart was selling the Faenza based team.

And “We are in discussions with Bernie Ecclestone,” an official of the Seoul-based company said in 2006.

Another Korean multinational, Samsung, has also been linked with F1 sponsorship, which now seems timely given the sport’s journey this week to the southwest Jeollanam-do province for the country’s inaugural grand prix.

South Korea’s economy proved robust in the wake of the global financial crisis, and Hyundai vice chairman Chung Eui-sun said recently that the marque’s “utmost priority is to boost brand image in Europe”.

The conglomerate LG is already a prominent F1 sponsor, but Hyundai is reportedly not interested.

“The grand prix could be a gateway to becoming a premium car brand, but Hyundai is simply not interested in formula one,” an anonymous F1 industry official told the Reuters news agency.

“It also requires long-term investment of several years at least and it’s doubtful whether Hyundai has that patience,” the source added.

Mark Webber is looking to resurrect his outdoor adventure challenge.

The Australian’s last multi-discipline charity event in Tasmania, comprising cycling, trekking and kayaking in harsh terrain, took place after the 2008 season.

Webber badly broke his leg in a mountain bike stage, which derailed his winter testing programme and threatened his entire career, amid rumours it was Red Bull Racing who ordered the event be cancelled for subsequent years.

But the 34-year-old said at the time that it was actually the global financial crisis that caused the event to lapse, due to the expiry of major sponsorship contracts.

The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper indicated that the next Mark Webber Challenge could be held in late 2011 — after his current contract with Red Bull runs out.

When asked last week what he plans for his retirement, Webber answered: “We’re looking at reintroducing my Tasmania challenge — in fact, we’re in the throes of finalising a deal which will hopefully see it return at the end of 2011.”