The trouble about Red Bull spending too much last year is off the table, nothing will change in the 2021 World Cup result with Max Verstappen’s triumph. Red Bull says they have to accept “draconian penalties” for this. The racing team has to pay seven million dollars within 30 days, and work in the aerodynamics area is also restricted. “It will have an impact on our performance on the track next year,” said team boss Christian Horner.
They had “reluctantly” accepted the offer from the International Automobile Association Fia, he made clear on Friday at a press conference in Mexico City after the announcement of the penalties by the rulers.
The Fia had approached Red Bull after a months-long investigation and had proposed a so-called accepted breach of contract. A right of objection then no longer exists. If they hadn’t given in, it could have dragged on for another twelve months. “We wanted to close the chapter here and now,” Horner said.
Red Bull’s competitors, drivers and team bosses, had recently called for tough sanctions in Austin, and there was even talk of fraud. It has now been fined a whopping seven million US dollars. In addition, there are restrictions on the aerodynamic tests over a period of 12 months, which should be sensitive in the high-tech development race of Formula 1.
According to the Fia, Red Bull spent the equivalent of around 2.15 million US dollars more than was allowed (148.6). However, because this is well below the five percent mark, it is rated as “minor”. Because the team was also cooperative throughout the process and it was also the first year of the budget limit, Fia Red Bull made the offer to accept breach of contract.
Likewise the British team Aston Martin. The racing team, for which Sebastian Vettel still drives, was only charged with a procedural error. The fine: $450,000. Both decisions can no longer be contested, this is part of the agreement.
At the Mexican Grand Prix, the competitors will now have the opportunity to classify the penalty for Red Bull from their point of view. Red Bull team boss Christian Horner had emphasized that his team had no development advantage through additional spending. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff had not accepted this argument in Austin and after Horner’s reckoning reacted with ridicule and scorn.
Horner escalated the affair last Saturday before the death of Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz. It was shocking that McLaren CEO Zak Brown – who was sitting next to him during Horner’s statements – had alleged fraud in a letter not sent to Red Bull to the Fia and the Formula 1 top.
He had also pointed out how complex the set of rules was, with a total of 52 pages only to the budget limit. Horner also said that children had been bullied by employees on the playground after Red Bull had been pilloried for so long. While Brown had not verbally fueled the argument any further, Mercedes team boss Wolff had said: “I almost had to shed a tear when I heard that.” Nine teams had kept to the budget limit and were now the victim.
After racing teams are said to have spent several hundred million dollars in the past, Formula 1 had agreed on a spending limit after years of recurring discussions. On the one hand, this is intended to achieve greater equality of opportunity among the participating teams. On the other hand, the motorsport premier class wants to make itself more attractive for other manufacturers in combination with further reforms as a more sustainable and environmentally friendly racing series.
Aston Martin fined $450,000 for violating budget procedural rules The British racing team of co-owner Lawrence Stroll had previously agreed with the Fia on a so-called accepted breach of contract. Unlike Red Bull, Aston Martin did not exceed the spending limit of $148.6 million last year.
