Possible violations of the budget limit last year are the big topic in the Formula 1 paddock these days. And many fans are wondering in this context: Could the 2021 World Cup be corrected again later?
The fact is that the financial regulations of the premier class allow this option. If a team has exceeded the cost cap, World Cup points could be deducted or, in extreme cases, the team could even be excluded from the World Cup – even retrospectively.
“We know it’s one of the downsides of these rules,” says Ferrari’s Laurent Mekies. Because the 2021 season has been over for around ten months. But how should the FIA deal with it if there were actually violations last year?
Most teams only agree that breaking the budget ceiling would result in a severe penalty. However, when asked whether the FIA should retrospectively change entire World Championship standings, most keep a low profile.
Mekies, for example, explains that the more important question is whether an infringement in 2021 will also have an advantage for years to come. “So if there was a violation in 2021, what benefit did you take with you in 2022? And in 2023?” Mekies said.
Because money that was spent in 2021 does not necessarily have to have flowed into development in 2021. If you had already used it for the new car, for example, you would have spent too much in 2021, but you would have gained an advantage for 2022.
Rather pronounce penalties for the new year?
Williams team boss Jost Capito therefore explains: “I don’t think that [eine Strafe] should be for the last year because most of the effects can be traced back to this year.” He would find it “completely wrong” to change the 2021 result retrospectively.
The mind game is particularly explosive because the rumors in the paddock say that the Red Bull team of world champion Max Verstappen could be one of the two teams that are said to have spent too much money last year.
In this specific case, it would not just be about changing the 2021 World Cup ranking again at any point. Even the Dutchman’s title would be at stake. A scenario that hardly anyone would wish for from a sporting point of view.
However, it is also clear that the teams expect a hard hand from the FIA in the event of possible violations. Capito reveals: “Without the cost cap it would be [Teambesitzer] Dorilton did not get into the sport. It shows how much it means to the team.”
Seidl: Treat financial rules like technology and the like
“I don’t have a meeting in which the word ‘cost cap’ isn’t mentioned. That applies to every technical meeting, every financial meeting – everyone,” said the Williams team boss, who wanted to clarify the importance of the budget cap.
“It is simply important that the financial regulations that are now in place, as well as the sporting and technical regulations, must be observed,” clarifies Andreas Seidl at “Sky”, who expects “corresponding penalties” for violations.
“We have great confidence in the FIA, especially in the new President, that they will act accordingly, […] if there were violations or even fraud,” said the McLaren team boss – who, incidentally, would not be surprised.
“I don’t want to get involved in the speculation about which teams may be affected because I have no concrete information about it or no evidence,” says Seidl, who nevertheless provides exciting insights from McLaren’s point of view.
Did “two teams” throw money around?
He reveals that his racing team had to take very drastic measures due to the cost cap last year. In Woking, people had to be laid off or salaries cut, “which was very, very serious,” says Seidl.
“At the same time, there were two teams in particular that hired and continue to hire people incredibly aggressively,” he reports, explaining that these teams, whose names he does not name, have thrown around “incredible salaries”, among other things.
“We’re all asking ourselves how that’s possible in this new world of Formula 1,” said Seidl, who, apart from a possible penalty for the teams concerned, also emphasized: “For me, it’s also important that we get absolute transparency here .”
First of all, it remains to be seen whether there were actually violations of the budget ceiling in the past year. Should that be the case, the resulting penalties from the FIA would definitely point the way for the future.