The ball is now in Red Bull's court.
After initial information confirming that Red Bull has indeed exceeded the maximum budget authorized during the 2021 season ($145 million), which the Milton Keynes team disputes, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) has made a proposal that the team must now accept or not, explained Thursday a spokesperson for the body.
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, this is a "minor violation", or less than 5% of the ceiling set.
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", assuring that its 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 financial regulations of F1, a "financial penalty" or a "sporting penalty".
If the team does not recognize that it is at fault, and therefore decides to refuse the agreement, the case will be brought before the arbitration committee responsible for budget caps (“Cost Cap Adjudication Panel”).
Max Verstappen felt that other teams were 'hypocritical' amid allegations that Red Bull went over the cost cap ❌ pic.twitter.com/CDyTKjq5iQ
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) October 20, 2022
Asked at a press conference, Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), who lost the title to Verstappen on the last lap of the last race last year, called for preserving "the integrity of sport".
A position held by most teams who are already asking for an exemplary sanction.
while Zak Brown (McLaren) recently used the term "cheating".
“If they (the FIA) are flexible with 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 Max Verstappen, who obviously takes up his team's approach by saying that their budget was "correct", at the microphone of Sky Sports F1.
Faced with criticism and doubts from rival teams, the Dutchman remained straight in his boots: "It's mainly because we do things well (that the others criticize, editor's note) (...) but in the end it is how F1 works, everyone is a bit of a hypocrite.