F1 drivers slam 'unfair' licence price hike

Formula One drivers hit back at the sport's governing body today in a row over the increasing cost of the mandatory super-licence they need to go racing.

The Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA), some of whose members are multi-millionaires, said in a statement that the hike was unfair and accused the International Automobile Federation of using them as a revenue stream to fill holes in the FIA budget.

The row dates back to last year when the FIA increased the cost of a licence from 1,690 euros to 10,000 euros with each point costing a further 2,000 euros compared to 447 in 2007.

The charges are due to increase further in line with inflation in 2009.

The GPDA said that would cost McLaren's world champion Lewis Hamilton, who is not a member of what is effectively a drivers' union, $270,000 for his licence this season.

The GPDA has advised drivers to hold off signing this year's licences pending further talks and said it wanted to clarify the situation after FIA president Max Mosley dismissed the complaints as 'nonsense'.

"The proposed increases are inherently unfair, both in the way they were introduced and they way they impact on individual drivers," it said, adding that the costs were opposed unanimously by the drivers.

NO SYMPATHY

Mosley made clear to reporters this week that he felt the drivers had little to complain about at a time when the world was suffering its worst downturn in more than half a century.

"In the present climate, somebody who is earning several million a year and doesn't want to spend one or two percent of that to get a licence for his trade is not going to get a lot of sympathy," he said.

He said the FIA might reconsider in a case of genuine hardship but suggested the drivers should first disclose their gross earnings. The GPDA said this was irrelevant.

"Drivers' gross (and net) earnings are confidential to the drivers, their management and financial advisors and any relevant tax authorities, and should be respected as such," the statement said.

It added that drivers were not opposed to a "reasonable increase" and had offered to pay the 2007 licence fees adjusted upwards for inflation.

"In addition the drivers have offered to explore fair ways in which they can assist the FIA in raising funds to meet the apparent 1.7 million euro shortfall required to run the federation in 2008 and a further 3 million euro shortfall that will be required in 2009," the statement said.

"The drivers contend that the super licence fees should not be a revenue stream for the FIA," it continued. "The FIA should raise sufficient funds from the exploitation of its commercial rights.

"As a principle, the drivers should not be taxed to fund the costs of others fulfilling their legal duty to the drivers.

"The licensing process for drivers is to ensure that the drivers are competent to race at the level necessary in Formula One."