Martin Brundle
Expert Analyst @MBrundleF1
With Red Bull now confirmed to have breached Formula 1’s cost cap, Sky Sports F1’s Martin Brundle says the FIA should “crack down” and show consequences are going to “hurt”; Red Bull, who insist they have followed financial rules, are not believed to have overspent by much
Last Updated: 11/10/22 11:10am
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Martin Brundle discusses the cost cap system after it was announced Red Bull overstepped the 2021 cap by less than five per cent
Sky Sports F1’s Martin Brundle believes Red Bull have not committed a “great crime” with their cost cap breach but has urged the FIA to tighten up its “crazy” rules and to hand out a punishment that is going to “hurt”.
After weeks of speculation, it was finally confirmed on Monday that Red Bull were found guilty of a ‘minor’ breach of last year’s $145m budget cap, meaning they have exceeded the legal amount by less than five per cent.
Potential penalties range from financial to sporting and even the docking of points, although with Red Bull fiercely contesting the FIA’s verdict – and not thought to be much over the limit – a severe punishment is not expected.
Still, Brundle says the rules need to be looked at to discourage breaches in the future, as he weighed in on the F1 controversy on Any Driven Monday.
“What seems absolutely crazy to me is that a minor breach can be up to five per cent overspend on the cost cap,” said the Sky Sports F1 pundit. “That is $7m and we know that is a massive upgrade on a car, maybe even a B-spec for some teams.
“So, that needs tightening up for starters, because what is the point in having $145m and then having this five per cent variant?
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In a feature complete before Red Bull’s cost cap breach was confirmed, Sky Sports F1’s Karun Chandhok looks at how the FIA can effectively police it
“Other teams are saying, ‘this gives you a head start into 2022, the car is carried over to 2023 so this is a big advantage’.”
It has been reported that Red Bull are ?1.8m ($2m) or less over the budget cap, which debuted in 2021 to level F1’s playing field.
“It’s not, it appears, the great crime we were being told by other team principals in Singapore,” said Brundle. “We now await the news.
“I am assuming that the FIA will have to crack down hard on any minor breaches but it looks like it could be a reprimand or a fine. Will they want to revisit points, will it be manufacturers’ points or drivers’ points for 2021?
“How hard do the FIA want to be on this?”