Silly Season 2020

[OHL]

And quite rightly as he's stuck with Elfyn through some pretty lean years.

Comments like this are made a lot but it's important to remember that this is Malcolm's business model. He wants a driver who is promising and occasionally fast. They will drive for very little cost and bring the odd good result. He invests in them to develop them and his company. When they move on to a better pay situation he benefits as well and rightly so.
Where these comments go a little off the rails are when it's stated in such a way like Malcolm has been benevolent and suffered or sacrificed to bring that driver along.
In the case of Elfyn, Malcolm chose to keep going with him, for his own reasons. Good for Elfyn that he may now have a chance in a proper paying situation and good for Malcolm that his investment may be paying off.