These are complicated days for the FIA. The attention of the media, fans and the markets has focused on a knot that has not yet been resolved. About two weeks have passed since what was promptly renamed the "Budget cap Gate”. A few days before the Singapore GP, rumors began to circulate as to which two teams, specifically Red Bull and Aston Martin, would have exceeded the spending limit set by the Budget cap in the 2021 season. The Austrian team, accused of having exceeded the Budget cap, defended its accounts to the hilt. The question is somewhat complicated and delicate, and could have had an impact also in the 2022 season, which has contributed to aggravating its importance.
The competing teams, in particular Mercedes e Ferrari, immediately started with the accusations, invoking an exemplary punishment if these rumors were true. Even the pilots, including Hamilton e Russell they expressed themselves on the subject during the press conference a Suzuka.
It is clear that if the Financial Regulation had been conceived in the best possible way, this situation would not have arrived. In fact, 2021 was the first year in which the teams were called upon to balance their accounts within the limit of 145 million established by the Budget cap.
The FIA keeps you waiting
The final verdict on the accounts of the teams was expectedo for yesterday, October 5th. Date previously established by the FIA itself which however decided to rimandare every decision until next week, October 10th. The reason for this delay could be due to the fact that some teams would have interpreted the Budget cap items incorrectly, slowing down the whole mechanism. But the feeling is that even the October 10 estimate is too rosy, and the situation even more intricate. All this delay will in part serve to appease spirits, even if, with the 2022 season at the end, the teams are anxiously awaiting an answer that also justifies the trend of this season, characterized by many developments by one team in particular: Red Bull.
We do not yet know neither the sin nor the sinner nor the punishment that will eventually be attributed to him. Depending on the seriousness of the violation, the penalty could increase or decrease. One of the most severe is the deduction of points either from the constructors' point of view or from the drivers' standings which last year saw a very tight battle between Hamilton and Verstappen.
Hamilton and Russell defend their position
The feeling is that the 2021 drivers' title will not be discussed. But like last season, Red Bull carried out a rather substantial development program and most of the teams have intervened on this. “During this season I haven't thought much about 2021 – Hamilton said during the press conference in Suzuka. “I think I don't know enough about the matter. Of course there are whispers of all these different things, so I can't say anything. But what I can say is that I remember last year a Silverstone we had the latest update, and luckily it was great and we could fight with it.”
Hamilton then continued: “But then we saw that the Red Bull, every weekend or every other weekend, it carried updates. I think that since then they have contributed at least others four updates. If we had spent 300.000 euros on a new bottom or to retrofit a wing, we would have changed the outcome of the championship, of course, because we would have been more competitive in the next race. So I hope this is not the case, and I hope Mohammed Ben Sulayem and the FIA do what's right with whatever they find. We must have faith, in the hope that there is 1000% transparency”.
Position also shared by George Russell, in the first year in Mercedes: “The entire team has worked hard to stay within spending limits. I trust Mohammed ben Sulayem and the FIA impose an appropriate punishment to anyone found guilty of the charges brought. The amount that was exceeded is expected to be deducted for next year's budget and probably a little more as punishment. But let's wait and see."
Source statements: FormulaPassion
