2021 was the first year that Formula 1 was able to test the new financial regulation born with the aim of ensuring the survival of teams with less economic capacity, and who play in the lower part of the standings. The cost ceiling gave teams and sponsors an extra opportunity to work to reposition themselves in a competition that had by now become an end in itself. One of the teams that does not hide the importance of such a radical change is Alfa Romeo, deeply marked by the disappointing results of recent years. The team has improved, as evidenced by the jump from penultimate to sixth place in the constructors' championship and the agreement with Audi for 2026. An opportunity that also bothered the McLaren team principal, Andreas Seidl landed in Sauber as soon as confirmation of the arrival of Vasseur in Classic Ferrari for sale.
Just Vasseur also remarked i budget limits chap, made evident by the first scandal involving Red Bull and Aston Martin. A controversy that revolved around two themes: speed and severity.
Vasseur: "We have to be much stricter and faster"
Even before arriving in Maranello – today, January 9 will be the day of his inauguration – the former team principal of Alfa Romeo, Frédéric Vasseur has once again exposed himself on the case Red Bull – Budget cap. The Austrian team was awarded a $7 million fine and a 10% reduction in its aerodynamic testing for 12 months after inspections revealed a violation minor, for a 1,6% overrun of the $145 million budget. According to most teams, Red Bull would have received too light a penalty and this could set a dangerous precedent, leading teams with more spending power to unbutton themselves by indulging in those 2-3 million more. Furthermore, having the results of the checks a year later risks making any sanction ineffective.
According to Vasseur, it is necessary “Work on this point. It's been too long from the overrun to the decision, we have to find a way to intervene much sooner and we probably have to be a little tougher in our decisions. From now on we have to forget about minor and major violations. For me two or three million are not minor violations, but they are a lot in terms of development. We have to be much stricter and faster“said the Ferrari team principal ad Motorsport. "The budget cap is by far the best regulation we have adopted in Formula 1, the administration and its boss Federico Lodi have done a great job, we must not forget it".
Source statements: FormulaPassion
