Throwback: F1 drivers agree to controversial change after bitter FIA standoff

Seventeen years ago, F1 drivers were engaged in a tense deadlock with the FIA that threatened to derail the start of the 2009 season.

It revolved around a dispute over the F1 driver super licence fees as the sport's governing body wanted to see a substantial increase in the charges.

Every driver requires a super licence to compete in F1, and in the modern era, the path to achieving the licence largely depends on junior career results.

Significantly, a fee must be paid every year for the drivers to retain the licence.

In January 2008, drivers received invoices showing the FIA had increased super licence fees. The basic fee rose from €1,690 to €10,000, while the per-point fee increased from €447 to €2,000. 

For Lewis Hamilton, who had won the 2008 world championship, the 2009 bill totalled approximately €218,920.

FIA president Max Mosley stated that drivers should contribute to safety costs. When drivers objected to further increases planned for 2009, the GPDA advised members not to sign their licences until negotiations were completed. 

Most drivers followed this guidance for several weeks, though three eventually signed their licences in March.

On 23 March 2009, Mosley met with GPDA representatives, and they reached a compromise that limited future increases to inflation rates. The drivers ultimately paid the 2009 fees in full. 

The drivers' position that super licence fees should only cover administrative costs, rather than generate revenue for the FIA, was not adopted.

Currently, the basic fee for the super licence sits at €11,842, while the price-per-point has increased to €2,392.

You can view the full FIA super licence fees for 2026 here!