A fine of 7 million dollars, a 10% reduction in the development time of its car in the wind tunnel, but no retroactive withdrawal of points: Red Bull escaped the worst of the penalties after exceeding the budget cap of Formula 1 in 2021. Max Verstappen can rest easy.
The Dutchman keeps his title of world champion acquired last year, the FIA having not touched the points of his team Red Bull after the "
minor
" violation of the budget ceiling - 1.6% of the ceiling, or 1.864 million euros. pound sterling.
To discover
Formula 1: the calendar for the 2022 season
Formula 1: manufacturers' classification
Formula 1: drivers classification
Red Bull is the only team to have exceeded this ceiling last year, set up that year for the first time and then set at 145 million dollars.
Several types of expenses are excluded, such as driver salaries or team marketing activities.
According to the FIA, Red Bull has "
excluded and/or inaccurately adjusted costs amounting to a total of 5,607,000 pounds
" in 2021, even if the final overrun is increased to 1.864 million pounds (2.17 million pounds). euros at the current rate).
Limited sports sanction
A total of 13 points of non-compliance were noted.
Red Bull, for example, underestimated its activity related to the development of its engine.
Other expense items, such as its catering service in the paddock or costs related to the social security of its employees or the stock of unused parts, are concerned.
But the FIA praised Red Bull's "
cooperation
" in resolving this case, revealed by the body on October 10, and believes that the team did not want to act "
dishonestly or in bad faith
".
Another mitigating circumstance according to the FIA, it was "
the first year
" of implementation of this financial regulation, "
very complex set of rules
" to which the ten teams entered in F1 had to submit.
For these reasons, the FIA has offered a deal to Red Bull.
Team principal Christian Horner had met FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem in Austin last week.
Red Bull, which had initially welcomed "
with surprise and disappointment the conclusions of the FIA
", assuring that its budget was "
below the ceiling
", therefore finally admitted to being at fault by accepting the agreement, which therefore provides for a fine of 7 million dollars (about the same sum in euros) and a reduction of 10% of the development time of his car in the wind tunnel for one year.
The resolution of the conflict had been postponed after the death of the founder of the Austrian team, Dietrich Mateschitz, and it is finally in Mexico, where the Grand Prix of Mexico takes place this weekend, that the deal was concluded.
Red Bull now has 30 days to pay its fine.
It is also up to the structure based in Milton Keynes (United Kingdom) to pay the costs of the procedure.
Aston Martin, another team pinned for a procedural defect, must also pay a fine of 450,000 dollars.
At the sporting level, the team of the double world champion 2021 and 2022 Verstappen escapes the worst of the sanctions which were in the hands of the FIA - withdrawal of points, downgrading, disqualification.
It will nevertheless have to count for twelve months on a reduced wind tunnel time, crucial for the development of future single-seaters.
This time is also inversely proportional to the ranking of the stables.
And as Red Bull have been crowned champions in 2022, they already enjoy the shortest wind tunnel time on the F1 grid.
It is nevertheless doubtful that this sanction will upset the established order, with the almost unchallenged domination of the bull stable in 2022, the year of a brand new technical regulation.
"
Tap on the Fingers
"
At this stage of the season, Red Bull have won 15 of the 19 Grands Prix already run (including 13 from Verstappen), leaving only four victories for Ferrari - and none for the others.
The reactions of Ferrari, like that of the former dominant Mercedes team and its seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton will be particularly scrutinized.
Last week, Hamilton, who lost the 2021 title in the controversy of the last GP in Abu Dhabi, called on the FIA to preserve "
the integrity of sport
".
“
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
,” he had estimated.
