Formula 1 stars have sought to play down suggestions that they are considering staging a strike during the British Grand Prix round of the 2008 world championship in a fortnight's time, despite continuing unrest and anger over the
FIA's proposal to significantly increase the cost of super licences.
It had been claimed earlier in the Magny-Cours weekend that the sport's 20 drivers were considering industrial action over the developments, with
Renault's
Fernando Alonso believed to be at the forefront of any such move.
The recent decision to hike up the cost of paying for the licences – taken in-line with what are perceived to be rising salaries for even the lowest-paid drivers – has frustrated the more successful, who currently have to add $713 for every point scored in the previous season to the standard $2,700 annual fee, but stand to face a rise of around 1,000 per cent, to $15,600 for the licence and $3,125 for every point [see separate story –
click here]. That means, for example, that if reigning world champion
Kimi Raikkonen equals his 110-point haul from last year, the Finn would have to pay $300,000.
Raikkonen is reputed to earn some $39 million per year from
Ferrari, with other leading drivers such as
Lewis Hamilton and Alonso believed to be on around $15 million. Some drivers' contracts stipulate that the team pays for the super licence fee.
The topic was a matter of debate during Friday's reunion of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA), and members now reportedly want to arrange a meeting with officials from the sport's governing body to discuss the situation – a precursor to holding such meetings on a regular basis. GPDA chairman and McLaren-Mercedes test driver Pedro de la Rosa, however, insisted such speculation was no more than just that – mere speculation.
