The FIA has made a proposal for an agreement to Red Bull after announcing a few days ago that the Austrian team was the only one to have exceeded the budget ceiling in 2021.
The International Automobile Federation (FIA) has made a proposal for an agreement after Red Bull failed to meet the budget cap for the 2021 season, which the team must now accept or not, a spokesperson explained on Thursday. of the instance.
The team of now double world champion Max Verstappen was the only one to exceed the budget ceiling in 2021, the first season of this financial regulation, the FIA announced on October 10 the day after the Dutchman’s coronation in Japan.
According to the regulator, Red Bull was guilty of a “minor violation“, or less than 5% of the ceiling set, for 2021, at 145 million dollars. This therefore represents a maximum overrun of $7.25 million, even if, according to the specialized press, the overrun would be less. Red Bull said it welcomed “with surprise and disappointment the conclusions of the FIA“, ensuring that his budget was”below the ceiling».
As the United States Grand Prix looms this weekend, she now has the choice whether or not to accept the proposed deal. The latter, which remains confidential, may in particular include, according to the F1 financial regulations which provide for it, a “financial penalty” or a “sports penalty».
If the team does not admit to being at fault, and therefore decides to refuse the agreement, the case will be brought before the arbitration committee competent in matters of budgetary capping (“Cost Cap Adjudication Panel“). Asked at a press conference, Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), who lost the title to Verstappen last year, called for preserving “sports integrity».
«If they (the FIA) are soft on these rules then all the teams can spend millions more and only get a little slap on the wrist which is obviously not good for the sport“, Developed the seven-time world champion. Another story from Verstappen, who echoes his team’s approach by stating that their budget was “correct“, at the microphone of Sky Sports F1.
Faced with criticism and doubts from rival teams, McLaren boss Zak Brown went so far as to speak of “cheating“, the Dutchman remained straight in his boots:”it’s mainly because we do things well (which others criticize, editor’s note) (…) but in the end that’s how F1 works, everyone is a bit hypocritical».
