Photo: Red Bull F1 / Facebook
The last few days have seen a huge drama developing in the Formula 1 paddock, and it might have massive implications. Red Bull has been under investigation due to suspicion that the team has gone over the budget cap in 2021.
While the FIA has stated that the process is still ongoing, a lot of teams have been quick to cast judgment over Red Bull and its achievements. Toto Wolff has been at the forefront of this show, which is unsurprising given the well-known rivalry between the two teams.
The Mercedes boss also pointed out that due to their $147 million budget cap, they were unable to reduce the weight of their car this season. He also hinted at the fact that going over budget by just 5-10% could mean many tenths of a second gained and questioned the legitimacy of Red Bull’s cost cap submission.
Meanwhile, in other parts of the Formula 1 paddock, Ferrari is pushing for the FIA to impose the maximum amount of penalties on Red Bull. McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl has also joined in on the drama, stating that the financial regulations are just as important as the others, and the FIA must make sure to police them properly.
This goes beyond just the 2021 Championship, which could be at risk if the FIA finds a breach of the regulations. The penalties can range from fines, a loss of points in the Constructor’s Championship, or a reduction in the next season’s budget to a deduction in Driver’s Championship points or a complete exclusion from the Championship. However, the bigger issue here is the fact that gaining an unfair advantage in 2021 could mean a huge lead in development for the following seasons. This would make matters much more complicated if the FIA does find that Red Bull spent more money than the regulations dictated.
Of course, this did not sit well with Red Bull’s team principal Christian Horner. He insisted that the team did not go over the budget cap and went on to say that the remarks were extremely defamatory. Horner also questioned how Toto Wolff could have any information about their submission when Red Bull is unaware of anything submitted by other teams.
While this is just the latest in a long list of dramas between the top teams, it is by far the biggest one in terms of possible implications. Whatever the outcome, this debacle guarantees that the FIA will look a lot closer at what the teams are spending.
The Mercedes boss also pointed out that due to their $147 million budget cap, they were unable to reduce the weight of their car this season. He also hinted at the fact that going over budget by just 5-10% could mean many tenths of a second gained and questioned the legitimacy of Red Bull’s cost cap submission.
Meanwhile, in other parts of the Formula 1 paddock, Ferrari is pushing for the FIA to impose the maximum amount of penalties on Red Bull. McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl has also joined in on the drama, stating that the financial regulations are just as important as the others, and the FIA must make sure to police them properly.
This goes beyond just the 2021 Championship, which could be at risk if the FIA finds a breach of the regulations. The penalties can range from fines, a loss of points in the Constructor’s Championship, or a reduction in the next season’s budget to a deduction in Driver’s Championship points or a complete exclusion from the Championship. However, the bigger issue here is the fact that gaining an unfair advantage in 2021 could mean a huge lead in development for the following seasons. This would make matters much more complicated if the FIA does find that Red Bull spent more money than the regulations dictated.
Of course, this did not sit well with Red Bull’s team principal Christian Horner. He insisted that the team did not go over the budget cap and went on to say that the remarks were extremely defamatory. Horner also questioned how Toto Wolff could have any information about their submission when Red Bull is unaware of anything submitted by other teams.
While this is just the latest in a long list of dramas between the top teams, it is by far the biggest one in terms of possible implications. Whatever the outcome, this debacle guarantees that the FIA will look a lot closer at what the teams are spending.
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