Leclerc Criticizes FIA Over Fines & Calls for Transparency in F1
Nov.21 - The FIA is yet to respond to the letter put out by the Formula 1 drivers' union.
Earlier in November, angry about Mohammed Ben Sulayem's clampdown on bad language, the Grand Prix Drivers' Association published a statement urging the FIA president to "also consider his own tone and language".
"Our members are adults," the GPDA added. "They do not need to be given instructions via the media, about matters as trivial as the wearing of jewellery and underpants."
The letter also called on Ben Sulayem to explain "where the funds are spent" when drivers are fined by the FIA.
Two weeks after the publication of the statement, Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc was asked about it by the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, including the thorny current issue of driving standards and guidelines in F1.
"We are reasonable enough people to understand when we break the rules," he said. "On the track it is important to have a judge who evaluates the situations impartially."
As for the request to know how the FIA spends the drivers' financial penalties, Leclerc added: "We are not asking for everything, just a bit of common sense and a bit more transparency about the destination of the money collected from the fines.
"Until now we have had no answer," the Monegasque driver said.
On Wednesday in Las Vegas, GPDA director George Russell says the drivers were also not informed ahead of time that F1 race director Niels Wittich was being fired.
"It was a big surprise for all of us," he said. "There is now a lot of pressure on the new race director with only three races left.
"But as drivers, we always get the impression that we are the last to hear these things. It affects us directly, so it would be nice if we were kept informed."
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I agree with Charles and the GPDA. Bin Salem is reaching beyond his jurisdiction with the nonsense he carries on with. He seems to think he is headmaster of a bunch of youngsters in primary school.
As for the question regarding where the massive amounts of fines handed out to teams and drivers are consumed by the FIA, I asked that question a few years ago and nobody seems to know where the money is spent. FIA is about as transparent as a block of granite! I think there needs to be a serious independent investigation conducted into how the FIA conducts business. It smells very strongly of corrupt practices.
FIA should produce fully audited annual accounts and publish them as a matter of course, It beggars belief that it is not required legally to do so. Likewise all the national authorities. It’s high time this can of worms was opened.
The whole situation stinks.
Greater transparency is something I've also wished for, not only from FIA but FOM as well.
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