A case of the millionaire’s complaining about the billionaire’s? Possibly. At the beginning of 2008, the FIA had increased the Superlicense fee from €1,725 plus €456 per point to an incredible €10,000 plus €2,000 per point. The drivers, while not happy about it, did renew their license in 2008. Max Mosley has offered a sharp rebuke as reported by Autosport and GMM.
In Max’s corner there is the notion that drivers make big money and refusing to pay 2% of their salary for their trade is nonsensical. They make millions and live in tax havens. Some driver(s) had mentioned that there is hardship now and that the increase was too much. Max, ever the helpful bloke, offered to help them with their hardships if they would provide him a detailed break-down of their finances. Nice…real nice touch Max.
Counterpoint? Drivers (GPDA) should ask for the finances of the FIA as to what the “safety measures” costs are during the year. If the percentage of increased costs for safety are equal to the increase percentage of the Superlicense, then perhaps there is merit but I was under the notion that track owners were the ones fronting the safety initiatives costs and not the FIA. The FIA mandates safety measures but I am unaware if they actually pay for these measures at each track…I suspect no.
Just more nonsensical chest-pounding and bravado in a series that is rife with this kind of medieval negotiating. Instead of discussing it in earnest, let’s just pole-ax the bastards and then make them look silly in the media in hopes they will back down. It’s getting very tedious gentlemen…can I use the word gentlemen?
