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F1 Drivers Refuse to Sign FIA Superlicense Due to High Fees

Just as Formula One teams stood together and joined efforts to make the sport more financially sustainable in the near future, F1 drivers are planning to do the same thing ahead of the 2009 campaign. According to media reports from autosport.com, the F1 drivers are very unhappy with the high prices of their drivers license for the new season.

In times of economic regression such as these, paying the sums of money imposed by the FIA for their 2009 driving license are simply unreasonable, as shown by the aforementioned source. If not revised, the new rules state that all drivers should pay as much as 10,400 euros per driving license and an extra 2,100 euros per point scored in the championship.

This would be a second consecutive increase in driver license tax inside Formula 1, as the FIA had initially increased it from 1,725 Euros plus 456 Euros per point in 2007 to an incredible 10,000 Euros plus 2,000 Euros per point last year.

The Grand Prix Drivers Association (GPDA) took a stand last year, urging FIA president Max Mosley to publicly explain the reasons why the license was increased by more the 600 per cent in a single year. Although Mosley is yet to give them an explanation on the matter, the drivers ultimately agreed to sign their mandatory FIA licenses before 2008.

However, this is unlikely to be the case this year. According to a letter to the F1 drivers from the GPDA, revealed by the same autosport.com, they are advised to wait at least 3 weeks until signing the new FIA superlicense. In the meantime, the drivers' body will try to convince Mosley that the new fees are simply ridiculous and could not be implemented once again in Formula 1.

According to the aforementioned source, Mosley has already agreed to revise the superlicense fee system in Formula 1, only he urged the drivers to send him documents showing their annual incomes in order to properly evaluate the future fee. The FOTA (Formula One Teams Association) are yet to give their position on the matter.
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