Superlicense Fee Hike

[cosworth151]

It's not like a random member of the public can get a form at the post office. 

Isn't that how Yuji Ide got one?

[Alianora La Canta]

There are tests for getting a Super Licence (aside from those needed to get the Category A licence below it) - you're supposed to have 300km of F1 car testing at representative speeds before application. Note that it doesn't have to be organised by anyone official, nor does it need to be a particularly modern specimen (though any machine before 1986 doesn't count because those are considered to be historic cars). The problem is that there's a clause that allows "exceptional" candidates to then obtain the Super Licence without any race skill other than that needed for a Category A licence, if the Formula One Commission agrees. Naturally, a lot of people assume they classify as "exceptional" even if they do not. So I can see why the argument of dissuading incompetent candidates would work, since it would reduce the amount of pointless work that the Formula 1 Commission has to do.

Still doesn't explain why increasing the cost-per-World-Championship-point is meant to help dissuade people who aren't yet in the World Championship.

Incidentally, Yuji Ide won the Formula Nippon series before joining F1. This is one of a myriad of high-level performance combinations spanning GP2, Renault World Series, IRL, Champ Cars and F3) that allows a driver to apply for a Super Licence without let or hindrance from the Formula 1 Commision, provided that they do the 300km in an F1 car and fulfil a handful of fairly tedious requirements (such as paying their fees and getting a medical at the start of the year).

[Steven Roy]

I just ran through the list of what each driver pays.  Barichello who has made tens of millions over the years pays the same as an F3 driver.  The more you read the more insane it gets.