FIA Reported to Make Staggering Six Figure Sum From F1 Fines

According to Marca, the FIA collected a record €332,900 in F1 driver fines in 2024.

Nov 3, 2019; Austin, TX, USA; A view of the FIA Formula One flag before the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The FIA's collection of fines from Formula 1 drivers in 2024 has reached a staggering €332,900, tripling the previous year's total, according to reports from the Spanish newspaper Marca. This significant increase in fines comes after growing tensions between drivers and the FIA regarding transparency and financial penalties. Throughout the season, drivers have voiced concerns over the perceived excessiveness of fines and a lack of clarity on how the collected funds are utilized.

In recent years, the FIA's approach to fines has been a point of contention in Formula 1. With the reported total of fines exceeding €330,000 this year, 2024 marks a substantial rise in both the number and amounts of fines.

McLaren driver Lando Norris received a €5,000 fine for a race start procedure violation, at the Brazilian Grand Prix and other drivers such as Yuki Tsunoda of VCARB and Sergio Perez of Red Bull also experienced significant fines this season. 

The drivers raised their concerns in an open letter to the FIA, which read:

"As is the case with every sport, competitors must abide by the referee’s decision, whether they like it or not, indeed whether they agree with it or not. That is how sport works. The Drivers (our members) are no different, and fully understand that.

"Our members are professional drivers, racing in Formula 1, the pinnacle of international motorsport. They are the gladiators and every racing weekend they put on a great show for the fans.

"With regards to swearing, there is a difference between swearing intended to insult others and more casual swearing, such as you might use to describe bad weather, or indeed an inanimate object such as a Formula 1 car, or a driving situation.

"We urge the FIA President to also consider his own tone and language when talking to our member drivers, or indeed about them, whether in a public forum or otherwise. Further, our members are adults, they do not need to be given instructions via the media, about matters as trivial as the wearing of jewellery and underpants.

"The GPDA has, on countless occasions, expressed its view that Driver monetary fines are not appropriate for our Sport. For the past 3 years, we have called upon the FIA President to share the details and strategy regarding how the FIA's financial fines are allocated and where the funds are spent. We have also relayed our concerns about the negative image financial fines bring to the Sport. We once again request that the FIA President provides financial transparency and direct, open dialogue with us. All stakeholders (FIA, F1, the Teams and the GPDA) should jointly determine how and where the money is spent for the benefit of our Sport.

"The GPDA wishes to collaborate in a constructive way with all the stakeholders, including the FIA President, in order to promote our great Sport for the benefit of everyone who works in it, pays for it, watches it, and indeed loves it. We are playing our part."

In response, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem stood firm in his opinion that "it is none of their business." He explained:

"It's none of their business. Sorry ... I am a driver. I respect the drivers. Let them go and concentrate on what they do best, which is race. This is our business. We'll do whatever is good for the FIA. So it's really none of people's business to interfere in ours. It's the results that we produce."