Fernando Alonso questions the viability of a driver salary cap: “They are asking more and more from us to promote Formula 1”

Fernando Alonso questions the viability of a driver salary cap: “They are asking more and more from us to promote Formula 1”

Fernando Alonso

Fernando Alonso makes his intentions clear about the ongoing debate around putting a cap on the salaries of the drivers. It all started with FIA putting a budget cap on how much a team can spend on the development of the car and to manage the logistic. After the pandemic hit the world, the financial situation of most of the team looked bleak. Hence, the FIA needed to intervene to make it a level playing field.

This also is in consonance with FIA’s well document efforts to make F1 a sustainable project by 2030. But, this decision has come under a lot of criticism as the teams are struggling to deal with the restriction especially after the impact of inflation across the world and also a considerable rise in the freight costs. This was all team related and the drivers didn’t have to face the consequences.

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But it has been recently proposed that there should be a cap on the driver’s salary as well in the coming years. This has not gone down with the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, who have publicly criticized the decision. They both are of the opinion that the drivers are the USP of the show and there shouldn’t be any limitation on their earnings keeping in mind what they bring to the table.

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Also read: “I think it was well handled,” Andreas Seidl supports FIA’s decision making at the rain interrupted Monaco GP

Fernando Alonso criticizes the prospect of a driver salary cap in the coming years

Lewis Hamilton(on the left) and Fernando Alonso(on the right)
Lewis Hamilton(on the left) and Fernando Alonso(on the right)

Fernando Alonso believes that F1 is demanding more and more from the drivers and in turn benefitting from it. Therefore, they shouldn’t put a cap on their earnings. He said, “I don’t think it’s needed. Drivers have been always outside this topic, and I think the drivers, they are us using more and more to promote Formula 1.“

“We do more and more events we are more in contact with the fans.”

“They are asking more and more from us and they are benefiting from that. So we should be outside from that cap. It’s very complicated,” as reported by motorsport.

F1 is definitely a show run by these drivers, who bring these brands in and attract immense crowd for races across the globe which has benefitted the sport. Hence it’s important for FIA to keep these drivers happy rather than going on imposing decisions.

Also read: “We want more clarity and more consistency” : Carlos Sainz left enraged over five-figure fine by the FIA over blue-flag controversy in the Monaco GP

Also read: McLaren expects consistency from Lando Norris: “Too early to compare him to Michael Schumacher or Lewis Hamilton”