The Formula 1 team Red Bull spent more money in Max Verstappen’s first world championship season than the rules allow. As the motorsport world association Fia announced on Monday after a month-long cost cap review, the racing team only slightly exceeded the set cost limit last year. The report shows that Red Bull, like Sebastian Vettel’s Aston Martin team, also violated procedural rules within the framework of the budget guidelines.
The Fia now wants to examine possible sanctions against the two racing teams. The umbrella organization pointed out that the teams’ offenses can result in financial and sporting penalties. However, a mandatory deduction of championship points in the constructors’ classification only occurs if the cost limit is significantly exceeded.
That would be the case if a team was more than five percent over the $148.6 million limit for the previous year. Verstappen’s first world title is probably not in danger afterwards.
Red Bull reacted to the Fia results with “surprise and disappointment”. The team remained confident that its 2021 spending was below the limit. Therefore, the racing team will now check the Fia documents and possible measures, it said in a statement.
The cost cap should increase equal opportunities, even if important items such as driver salaries are not included. The plan was worked out jointly by all teams.
Recently there had been a lot of fuss about possible rule violations at Red Bull. The racing team suspected an attack by the competition behind it to cause unrest in the paddock.
Mercedes and Ferrari had indirectly demanded consequences, even if no names were given to each other. “We want these statements to be retracted. It’s not acceptable to say things like that,” said Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, who was convinced he hadn’t done anything wrong: “A line was crossed to demand punishment for us.” Red Bull kept the law steps forward. The statements are “defamatory”.
