- 20 Jun 08, 08:19#50327
LEWIS HAMILTON has backed astonishing plans for a drivers’ strike at the British Grand Prix in a row over money.
Hamilton’s fellow multi-millionaire racers are furious after the cost of their super licence shot up by more than 500 per cent.
And they have threatened to take action at Silverstone on July 7 unless the fees are slashed.
The super licence, which drivers pay for themselves, has increased this year from £1,300 to £7,500.
And the stars also have to fork out £1,500 for every point they score instead of £350 — a rise which has been imposed retrospectively.
Hamilton, whose licence cost him £171,000, declared: “I’ve always said that even though I am not a member of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association they will always have my support. It is something I agree with.”
The Brit, 23, who earns around
£10million with McLaren, has the second-highest super licence bill along with former team-mate Fernando Alonso after they both scored 109 points last year.
World champion Kimi Raikkonen — paid £25m per season at Ferrari — has to dip into his tax-exiled pocket to the tune of £172,500.
Former double world champ Alonso blasted: “It is a ridiculous price. We were talking about the price of the licence in the last couple of GPDA meetings.
“We are all agreed it’s not fair it has increased so much.
"I don’t know what the solution will be or what we will do — but a strike at Silverstone, that is one possibility. Why not?
“We’ve approached the FIA about this but we’ve not had positive answers.
“It is difficult because the drivers have commitments and contracts with our teams.
"It is not easy to decide what we can or cannot do.” Alonso, who earns around £10m at Renault, insisted the drivers had the right to fight for reduced fees despite being mega-rich.
He added: “If I’d had to pay this amount of money three or four years ago it would have been a much bigger percentage of my salary.
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“I’m sure there are still drivers scoring many points for whom it is not easy.”
A spokesman for the FIA, F1’s ruling body, said president Max Mosley had written to the GPDA on June 6 offering a meeting but had not heard back.
There has never been a drivers’ strike in F1 and it would be a massive blow to British motorsport with Silverstone a sell-out.
Spaniard Alonso, 26, added: “If the money is going to safety and to improve the circuits then maybe we would be happy to pay it.
"But there has been no answer.
“When we suggest things about new rules the drivers think are unnecessary or unfair the FIA does not listen to us too much.”
So it looks like Lewis will be striking too
Can't believe this will happen though...............will be well gutted. Is my first ever Grand Prix and have been looking forward to it for months. Just bought my tent and everything 
P.S This was taken from The Sun by the way so not sure quite how accurate it is !!!
Thats so not going to happen. Which drivers apart from Kimi, Massa and lewis are not in the GPDA
LEWIS HAMILTON has backed astonishing plans for a drivers’ strike at the British Grand Prix in a row over money.
Hamilton’s fellow multi-millionaire racers are furious after the cost of their super licence shot up by more than 500 per cent.
And they have threatened to take action at Silverstone on July 7 unless the fees are slashed.
The super licence, which drivers pay for themselves, has increased this year from £1,300 to £7,500.
And the stars also have to fork out £1,500 for every point they score instead of £350 — a rise which has been imposed retrospectively.
Hamilton, whose licence cost him £171,000, declared: “I’ve always said that even though I am not a member of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association they will always have my support. It is something I agree with.”
The Brit, 23, who earns around
£10million with McLaren, has the second-highest super licence bill along with former team-mate Fernando Alonso after they both scored 109 points last year.
World champion Kimi Raikkonen — paid £25m per season at Ferrari — has to dip into his tax-exiled pocket to the tune of £172,500.
Former double world champ Alonso blasted: “It is a ridiculous price. We were talking about the price of the licence in the last couple of GPDA meetings.
“We are all agreed it’s not fair it has increased so much.
"I don’t know what the solution will be or what we will do — but a strike at Silverstone, that is one possibility. Why not?
“We’ve approached the FIA about this but we’ve not had positive answers.
“It is difficult because the drivers have commitments and contracts with our teams.
"It is not easy to decide what we can or cannot do.” Alonso, who earns around £10m at Renault, insisted the drivers had the right to fight for reduced fees despite being mega-rich.
He added: “If I’d had to pay this amount of money three or four years ago it would have been a much bigger percentage of my salary.
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“I’m sure there are still drivers scoring many points for whom it is not easy.”
A spokesman for the FIA, F1’s ruling body, said president Max Mosley had written to the GPDA on June 6 offering a meeting but had not heard back.
There has never been a drivers’ strike in F1 and it would be a massive blow to British motorsport with Silverstone a sell-out.
Spaniard Alonso, 26, added: “If the money is going to safety and to improve the circuits then maybe we would be happy to pay it.
"But there has been no answer.
“When we suggest things about new rules the drivers think are unnecessary or unfair the FIA does not listen to us too much.”
So it looks like Lewis will be striking too
Can't believe this will happen though...............will be well gutted. Is my first ever Grand Prix and have been looking forward to it for months. Just bought my tent and everything P.S This was taken from The Sun by the way so not sure quite how accurate it is !!!
. It's a bad method of dealing with the problem. They also have obligations to teams and fans, so they should be racing.
politics! 
, though i work with a guy that runs a local wrestling group 
- By darwin dali