From GMM

Williams' three drivers have valid superlicense credentials for the 2009 season, it emerged on Thursday at the British team's pre-season media event in Oxfordshire.

"We pay the fees -- they're paid," said chief executive Adam Parr, referring to the licenses of race drivers Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima, as well as reserve driver Nico Hulkenberg.

Led by the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA), formula one stars were this winter embroiled in a standoff with the governing FIA, following the Paris body's latest price increase for the mandatory F1 drivers' license.

But contrary to the GPDA's wishes, it emerged recently that at least three drivers had fully paid up for 2009. It is believed that in the wake of the news, some non-GPDA member drivers individually chose to sign off their latest paperwork.

Moreover, as well as Williams, there are other teams - possibly including McLaren - that also simply pay for the licenses on behalf of their drivers, despite the GPDA's request to the F1 teams' alliance FOTA for support over the issue.