"Nobody can do anything with the fines" - F1 GPDA chairman wants to know 'what exactly happens with the money'

Former F1 driver and the chairman of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association Alex Wurz wants to know what the FIA does with the money paid by F1 drivers in fines.

Wurz says he would feel “more comfortable” if the money were to be reinvested into the sport or into a charitable cause, rather than something else. Speaking to Motorsport-Total following the Australian GP, he said:

"Nobody can do anything with the fines. If we knew what would then happen with the money specifically, we would be much more comfortable. If the money is reinvested wisely and well in the safety of motorsport as a whole or in some charitable cause, we would be okay with that.”

Wurz wants changes in the way drivers are fined across F1 and its feeder series and hopes that the new FIA president is willing to adapt the changes.

“But no driver, neither the GPDA nor anyone, knows what exactly happens with the money. We hope to talk to the new [FIA] president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, that we change that and adapt it.”

Wurz’s comments came after Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel was hit with a total of €5600 in fines at last weekend’s Australian GP for several infringements, including speeding in the pit lane.

---

Not all F1 drivers capable of paying costly fines: Wurz

Alex Wurz believes the FIA’s current strategy of imposing financial penalties on drivers for certain infringements is “wrong”. The Austrian believes not all drivers in the sport are capable of paying such fines, despite F1 drivers being widely considered wealthy. Speaking to Motorsport-Total, he said:

“Of course, everyone thinks Formula 1 drivers have a lot of money, but not all of them do. A lot of them have to pay back forever to pay the costs of the junior racing series.

“There are sums of money being thrown around that are simply not real in everyday life.”

Wurz felt that a more reasonable penalty would be to mandate drivers to spend a day doing community service or a similar activity for their infringements. He added:

“If the driver is punished, he should come to the driving safety training on the kart track, do a day of youth work with the boys, that would be much better."

The FIA currently imposes financial penalties for minor infringements. Max Verstappen received one of the highest penalties in the sport’s history last season at €50,000, when he was found guilty of touching Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes under parc ferme conditions last season.