“Pretty ridiculous”: High fines annoy Formula 1 drivers

“I think it's pretty ridiculous that a driver could be fined a million euros,” Mercedes driver George Russell, who is also one of the directors of the drivers' union, said before the Austin Grand Prix. The 25-year-old said the fines had gotten “out of control”.

The motorsport world council of the umbrella organization (FIA) decided on Thursday to increase the maximum possible fine from 250.000 euros to one million euros. The FIA cited the reason for the hefty surcharge as the fact that the sum had previously remained unchanged for twelve years and no longer corresponded to the current needs of motorsport. The adjustment affects all violations during a Formula 1 weekend that are punished by the race stewards.

Some don't even earn that much “That's a lot of money. Some drivers earn less than that,” said Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc. Record world champion Lewis Hamilton was unsure about which offenses could be punished with such penalties. “We really need to think about what messages this sends to viewers,” said the Mercedes superstar.

Driver representative Russell called for more transparency in how fines are imposed and how the money is used. The Brit announced that he would address the issue at the drivers' meeting in Austin. “These numbers are simply taken out of thin air. “There are so many problems in the world and so much poverty, how can a world association invent six-figure and seven-figure fines?” asked Russell.

Teammate Hamilton was recently fined 50.000 euros for crossing the track during the race after his retirement in Qatar. Red Bull star Max Verstappen was sentenced to the same amount for illegally touching the rear wing of Hamilton's Mercedes in Brazil in 2021. “If it costs 50.000 euros, I would like to know what you have to do for a million,” said the Dutchman.

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“Pretty ridiculous”: High fines annoy Formula 1 drivers

The drastic increase in the possible maximum fine for serious rule violations in Formula 1 races has caused a lack of understanding and criticism among drivers.

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