F1 still a snobs game RE:super license

[Craig.]

I think this sums up the people incharge really. This will just end up forcing out many young talented drivers from taking up a career in single seaters and its going to further increase the difficulties on the smaller teams who have to cough up the money for this.

The cost of Formula One superlicences has shot up this year in a move that should dissuade less-qualified drivers from applying for one, this week's Autosport reveals.

A superlicence is a mandatory requirement for an F1 driver and last season one only cost 1,690 Euros, plus an additional 447 Euros per point scored in the previous year's championship.

However, the FIA's World Motor Sport Council recently approved a huge price hike that will see the licence now cost 10,000 Euros plus an additional 2,000 Euros per point.

That means world champion Kimi Raikkonen's superlicence will cost 230,000 Euros - and increase of almost 199,255 Euros on what it cost him in 2007. For Ferrari, the total bill for their two drivers will be 428,000 Euros.

No official reason has been given for the increase in costs, but Autosport reports that the increased fees may be aimed at discouraging lesser qualified drivers from applying for a superlicence and to preserve F1's exclusivety.

[C]

No official reason has been given for the increase in costs, but Autosport reports that the increased fees may be aimed at discouraging lesser qualified drivers from applying for a superlicence and to preserve F1's exclusivety.

Is that the lesser qualified drivers who can afford to buy their drives? Oh, they'll be the one's who can afford the superlicence too then.

All seems a plan to keep the Justin Wilson's etc out of the sport for good, and the corporately backed mediocre's bringing along the money...

[MWISimmer]

In my opinion the Super Licence isn't a licence at all, it's a TAX.

[Craig.]

I would also have to say its going to make the life of test drivers a lot tougher. They need the license too, and how many of these feeder teams are going to pay that sort of money for a guy who's driving only 5 or 6 times a year when your race drivers can do it. Especially now in the 1 car testing rules.