AUSTIN, Texas – George Russell mentioned he and his fellow drivers will problem Method One’s governing physique, the FIA, concerning the prospect of being fined €1 million ($1.05m) sooner or later.

Forward of the U.S. Grand Prix, the utmost positive that may be issued to drivers quadrupled, though it isn’t clear what kind of infraction would end result within the €1m penalty.

Russell’s rivals additionally spoke out in opposition to the measure throughout media day at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas on Thursday, with Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton saying the one manner he would ever pay such a heavy positive is that if the FIA donated it to a worthy trigger.

After the Qatar Grand Prix two weeks in the past, Hamilton was fined €50,000 — €25,000 of which was suspended — for strolling throughout the circuit after crashing out of the race at Flip 1.

Whereas Hamilton and world champion Max Verstappen have a number of the most profitable contracts in sport, Russell mentioned a big chunk of the grid are paid significantly much less.

“I would say there’s in all probability 40% of the grid are making lower than this most positive,” Russell mentioned. “And that is the earnings, that is not bearing in mind the outgoings, the touring around the globe, the individuals you want as a part of your crew. It is fairly obscene.”

He added: “I feel it is fairly ridiculous {that a} driver might be fined 1,000,000 euro. In my first yr of Method One, I used to be on a five-figure wage, and truly misplaced over six figures in that first yr for paying for my coach, paying for flights, paying for an assistant, and that is in all probability the case for 25% of the grid.

“We’re doing what we love, so we’re not complaining about that… However when you take a yr one driver who in all probability by the tip of the yr is shedding over 100,000 due to the funding he has to make, you positive him 1,000,000, what is going on to occur?

“We have requested earlier than from the FIA to listen to the place these fines are going in the direction of, what causes they are going to. It must be reinvested into grass roots, however thus far, we have had no response on the place that is going. We might like to get some readability and transparency, and if they really imagine 1,000,000 euro positive is worth it, and it is going to reinvest into the game, then possibly one of many drivers who’s being paid so much is blissful to pay that positive. But it surely appears obscene.”

Russell, who’s a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Affiliation [GPDA], mentioned the drivers plan to boost the difficulty to the FIA.

The primary probability they’ll get can be on the driver briefing, held behind closed doorways forward of each race weekend on a Friday night.

The primary season Russell referred to was when he drove at Williams. Alex Albon, who changed him on the crew in 2022, was advised concerning the positive throughout his media session on Thursday.

“I do not suppose they know what salaries we’re on” a shocked Albon replied.

Albon reiterated what Russell mentioned concerning the monetary burden on loads of drivers, particularly in the direction of the again of the grid.

“I ponder how it is going to work out as a result of I feel there’s such an unknown data concerning the sacrifices F1 drivers make. We’re fairly standard individuals, we journey around the globe so much, we get seen so much, we do want a bunch of individuals round us in loads of circumstances.

“However I feel individuals would not realise — particularly the primary two, three or 4 years of being a Method 1 driver, the salaries are nothing like what individuals truly suppose they’re. I am positive you guys in all probability know a bit greater than what most individuals do, however it will be a troublesome positive when you had been to get into debt.”