Cash Cow Max Verstappen Calls Out FIA’s Greed as “Absurd” $27 Million Rips Through F1 Teams’ Hearts

Motorsports is arguably the most expensive venture in the whole sporting world. The number of bills you have is directly proportional to the number of miles you go. While getting to Formula 1 is a million-dollar mammoth task, staying there is even more expensive. The latest victim who has gone vocal regarding the same is the reigning double-world champion, Max Verstappen.

With the progressive performance convergence rules in place, the winners have to pay even more. The team who stands at the top step at the end of the season has to pay the highest amount to enter the next season. While a base fee for the renewal of driver’s super license is laid out at around $16,236, each championship point costs around $2,100. The cumulative for drivers who score centuries’ worth of points is gargantuan. A total of a whopping $27 million is collected from the drivers and teams for their super license renewal and entry into a new season, respectively. The Milton Keynes team, which took home both the championships, collectively paid around $8 Million in fees to FIA.

According to Motorsport-Total.com, Max Verstappen, the highest point scorer of the 2022 season, called the amount collected by the FIA is “absurd”. He said, “I don’t think it’s right that we have to pay so much. That’s not the case in other sports either. And there are more and more races.” [Translated by Google]

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Drivers, like Max, becoming the world champion ‘pays off’ to the FIA because the largest amount comes from the team that stands at the highest step.

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The increase in the number of races, the fastest lap bonus point,s and even the points awarded in the additional sprints have all trickled down to the FIA fee growing significantly. We have witnessed an increase of around 443 points in comparison to the 2018 season. While the showdowns for points is what the audience delights in, the teams have to shoulder the expense to keep their and their drivers’ spot in the circus.

But the reigning double world champion, Verstappen, doesn’t have to worry about the fees much because all such expenses of the Dutchman are borne by his team. The Red Bull chief advisor, Helmut Marko, said, “I’m afraid we’ll have to pay if I have our contract in mind.”

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With the 2023 season about to begin in a couple of weeks’ time, do you think Red Bull’s investment will pay off again?