FORMULA ONE drivers are furious they could now be fined up to a million euros for breaking the sport’s rules after the FIA QUADRUPLED their maximum punishment.
The ruling came into effect after a World Motorsport Council meeting in Geneva on Thursday – led by FIA President, Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
Lewis Hamilton says he’d only pay a big fine if it went to a good causeRex
Hamilton was fined heavily after an early smash with George RussellRex
It comes after a series of punishments were dished out to drivers in the Qatar Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton was slapped with a €50,000 fine (43.5k), of which half was suspended, for crossing the live race track following his first-lap smash with Mercedes teammate George Russell.
And the seven-time world champion was stunned to learn of the new maximum penalty that picky stewards could now dish out.
And he says he will REFUSE to pay it unless it goes towards a good cause.
He said: “We do need to be thinking about the message that sends out to those watching. If they are going to be fined a million, let’s make sure 100 percent goes to a good cause.
“It is a lot of money in this industry and there is a lot more we need to do in terms of creating better accessibility and diversity, that’s the only way they’ll get that million from me.”
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc added: “it’s a huge amount of money. I have no idea what deserves a 1m euros penalty, some drivers are making less than that.”
Haas driver Kevin Magnussen said it was “ridiculous” and AlphaTauri’s Daniel Ricciardo labelled it “scary.”
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Meanwhile, Russell who is director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association was stunned to learn of the news via a question in the press conference ahead of the US Grand Prix.
The FIA had not consulted drivers that the maximum penalty was being raised from €250,000 and there is now a fear they will start hitting them in their wallets.
He said: “I think it’s pretty ridiculous that a driver could be fined a million Euros.
“In my first year in F1, I was on a five-figure salary and actually lost over six figures in that first year paying for a trainer, flights, an assistant and that’s probably the case for 25 percent of the grid.
“We are doing what we love, so not complaining about that but if you fine him a million, I don’t know what’s going to happen.
“We’ve requested before from FIA to hear where these fines are going towards, what causes. It needs to be invested in grassroots but so far had no response on where that’s going.
“I would love to get some clarity and transparency, if they truly believe a million fine is worthwhile and going to reinvest into sport, then maybe one of the drivers who earns a lot is happy to pay that, but it seems obscene.
“We just want transparency and understanding. I think already the fines are getting out of control.
“Max Verstappen was fined €50,000 for touching a car in Brazil, Lewis being fined €50,000…it feels like these numbers are being plucked out of the air.
“There’s a lot greater global issues going on and so much poverty around the world how can a federation make up these fines?
For me, it sounds obscene and there needs to be a lot more transparency about where these fines are going.
George Russell
“I don’t know what you have to do to get a fine of million euros, I don’t know of any sport or profession outside of the corporate world where you can be fined that amount.
“For me, it sounds obscene and there needs to be a lot more transparency about where these fines are going.
“There needs to be a much better dialogue between FIA and drivers.”
The FIA point out that while the previous limit was €250,000, no offence had been deemed worthy of issuing the maximum penalty.
Meanwhile, Hamilton says that he does not believe he is being singled out by the penalty he picked up in Qatar.
Hamilton has also recently been the subject of a jewellery ban by the FIA, which had resulted in him being granted a medical exception for a nose stud.
However, there was some confusion that the FIA would re-open their investigation into walking across the track following a clunky-worded statement.
He added: “No, I don’t think I was singled out. Ultimately it was poor communication, I don’t think what the FIA said is what they meant.
“I think they are going to look into how they can tackle those things [crossing a track] moving forwards, so those things don’t happen.
“We need to make sure we are continuously focusing on safety, the FIA just need to speak to their PR agent to do a better job.”
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