FIA receives first licence applications

The Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA) had been urging its members to hold back on paying for the licences while it continues discussions with the FIA about a restructuring of the way the fees are calculated.

The GPDA has been unhappy since the beginning of last year about a huge rise in the costs of the licence - where the 1690 Euros fee for 2007 rose to 10,000 Euros for 2008. There was further discontent about another inflationary rise for this season.

Although the GPDA issued a statement at the end of last week saying the increases were 'inherently unfair' and stating that the drivers should not be used as a 'revenue stream' to bolster the FIA's budget, it appears some racers have ended their stand off with the governing body.

Following an email sent to teams earlier this week reminding them to process the superlicences as soon as possible, the FIA has confirmed that three drivers have now lodged their applications with the governing body.

A spokesman for the FIA said: "We can confirm that the FIA has received payment from three drivers."

Although the GPDA is unhappy about the situation, the body has made it clear that talk of a possible strike at the Australian Grand Prix is wide of the mark.

"Everyone should be careful about how they treat this topic because then we could get headlines saying 'Drivers dissatisfied' or 'Drivers to strike'," Red Bull Racing's Sebastian Vettel said earlier this week.

"That (a strike) has never been spoken about. But the fact that we are not happy with how the increases were presented to us has been made clear. We are open to cooperate with the FIA. But what happens in the future remains to be seen."