Webber: drivers should speak to Ecclestone

F1 drivers are unhappy that licence fees have gone up in 2008, from 1,725 euros last year with 456 added on for each point scored in the previous year's championship, to 10,000 euros with 2,000 added on for every point scored.

The GPDA claims its complaints to the FIA about the fees have fallen on deaf ears so far, and although talk of a strike at the British Grand Prix seems far fetched, Webber thinks the GPDA should approach Ecclestone to see if an agreement can be reached with him.

"It's absolutely clear that we are not happy with the superlicence situation and how much they charge, but I find it very unrealistic that we won't race," Webber told autosport.com.

"We should just have a chat with Bernie. He's got common sense, and we should see what he says. Let's see if we can improve the situation and make it a bit more professional."

Webber added that the drivers accept that they must pay a fee for their licences, and that it is right that this goes towards improving safety standards, but said that they were unhappy with the way the fees had been applied without prior discussion.

"Well they [the FIA] just decided between themselves," he said. "And then sent an invoice to the drivers. We had our hands tied behind our backs and it was agreed by none of the drivers.

"We are being charged that amount and we will be charged that amount."

Asked why Webber thought it would be better to speak to Ecclestone rather than go straight to FIA president Max Mosley, who announced the changes in January, the Red Bull driver replied: "We can't get a meeting with Max, and we can see Bernie a lot easier, so it makes sense to go to him. [We should] pick it up with him to start with.

"Bernie comes to the races so that's useful, so it should happen in the next few weeks."

Webber ruled out talk of a strike, however, adding that it was not a good reason to take such a draconian course of action.

"It's not on the top of my list. I want to get some points in Magny-Cours," he said. "I am not thinking about striking. I think every now and again we need to have a chat with the big cheeses and maybe this is what will chat about.

"You can't threaten these guys. You just don't do it. We all love the sport, we love it. We strive to get here and we strive to be here, we don't want it to look like that. We don't want to look like prima donnas either.

"The public needs to understand how some of these things get decided. Yes we are looked after financially and paid quite well but Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't pay 300 grand a year to play football, on top of his licence to walk on the pitch.

"I don't think they [the FIA] are bothered. It's not on their radar. They have got loads of other things going through, so a few hundred grand coming through from the drivers is not a big deal. We accept that but we are not happy, and we are just looking to find a way to see if they can compromise on it."