It initially seemed to fizzle out for Verstappen’s team Red Bull and motorsport federation FIA after last week’s news. Yes, Red Bull was the only one of the ten teams to spend too much money in 2021 in the first year of the so-called budget cap. The exceeding of less than 5 percent that emerged after an analysis of the accounts appeared to both Red Bull and FIA alone. a perfect way out.
A hefty fine may have been enough to close the case. This allowed the federation to stay away from sporting penalties that could disrupt championships, resulting in damage to its image. That quickly turned out to be vain hope, when it became clear that Red Bull’s competition looked at the matter significantly differently.
Ferrari director Laurent Mekies explained in detail at the last race in Japan that exceeding just a few million (on a budget cap of $145 million) can already bring enormous benefits to a team. ‘Suppose the excess is 7 million. That’s seventy engineers. That’s a lot of lap time,” he said.
Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton spoke similar words. He underlined that three hundred thousand extra for an updated wing makes the difference between winning or losing a world title. His team boss Toto Wolff said he would be happy to pay a fine in exchange for a faster car. “Eventually you’ll be in a car that might run on steroids.”
Red Bull ‘surprised and disappointed’
Red Bull reacted “surprised and disappointed” to the FIA conclusions, which did not specify an exact amount. The team says spending has been contained and the team is considering appealing the assessment. Among other The Telegraph wrote about a possible calculation error, where the free lunch for the nearly 1,000 employees at the Red Bull factory in Milton Keynes was included in the budget cap.
It was received with cynicism on social media, among others. Twitterers posted edited photo’s of what the majestic Red Bull canteen was supposed to represent. They also joked about the ‘hungry’ Verstappen or that a Red Bull engineer had slipped with a rear wing while getting lunch, accidentally hitting the car improved.
The question is therefore whether the team can still tilt the image of cost overruns, with any explanation whatsoever.
On Monday, a beef that McLaren boss Brown had sent to the bosses of Formula 1 and the FIA leaked out. In it, he calls on Red Bull to be sportingly punished, because according to him it amounts to nothing less than cheating. By going over the ceiling, Brown says a team has had an ‘unfair advantage’ in developing that year’s car and the stable will continue to benefit in later seasons.
Crucial test for new FIA boss
Brown proposes that budget violators cut the ceiling for the following year and wind tunnel time, which hinders the development of the car. His proposals will undoubtedly be discussed this weekend in media sessions and back rooms in Austin, where Formula 1 comes together for the Grand Prix of the United States.
Above all, the issue is a crucial test for Mohammed ben Sulayem, who became the new FIA president this year. In those twelve months, Ben Sulayem was more involved in F1 than his predecessor Jean Todt in twelve years. The president from the United Arab Emirates got involved in many things, from the presentation of the race calendar and race weekend design to what jewelry drivers are allowed to wear in their cars.
He also moves more in the foreground than Todt. He has been on the podium at several races this season to congratulate drivers. It is clear that Ben Sulayem wants a more active role for the FIA in Formula 1. It is an open secret that this has created more resentment between the FIA, F1 management and the teams. Ben Sulayem can make his mark in the Red Bull case. How he does that will determine the course of the royal class.