Il boss of the Red Bull lancia the alarm and back to this season's hot topic: the budget cap. Second Christian Horner il risk of going to court would be increasingly concrete and for this reason the immediate intervention of the FIA. The discussion on the subject has been going on for a while . Several teams would like the FIA raise the maximum expenditure ceiling set at 140 million, also considering the particular historical moment we are going through between the pandemic, wars and inflation. There Red Bull è firmly in command in both rankings ma according to Horner, the budget cap risks turning everything upside down and to condition the World Cup.
The World Cup will be played in court
According to what was said by Horner a Sky Sports the risk of seeing the fate of the World Cup decided in court would be ever higher. “We don't want one championship decided in court or in Paris in front of the FIA – said the team principal. “We have months to fix this and we need to act now". The budget cap it was introduced in Formula 1 to create more balance between teams with different budgets. A right idea, if it weren't for some external factors, which concern the market in a bigger picture, they start emptying the pockets of even the most powerful teams, that they find limited especially in the development of single-seaters.
"How you design your car is in your control. It is something that you, together with your group of designers, create. You have control over your destiny” – says Horner. Conversely, inflation would be a difficult factor to control.
“What we are seeing in the world right now is that we have no control over the cost of inflation that are affecting families around the world. In the UK we see an inflation forecast of 11%". The risk is to have to cut funds intended to employees, materials, and so on. “I think the teams they would have to get rid of about two or three hundred people to abide by the rules. It's correct?“, Horner said.
50% of teams are at risk
This situation it would not relapse obviously only on Red Bull, as also mentioned by Horner. “There probably is about 50% of teams that they will break the limit at the end of the year if things continue as they are. Probably even more." Already Ferrari e Mercedes they raised the issue, deeming it impossible not to go over budget. “We have to find a solution, no one could predict this scenario. We lowered the cost ceiling by $35 million during the pandemic, and no one could have foreseen the problems we have now" – concludes Horner, who however does not find the support of all the teams.
Others, indeed like Alfa Romeo, Alpine they believe that inflation is not a "force majeure" and that the teams actually already knew about this alarming data. "Most teams make their budgets in November, December, for the following year and we are no different. We took this into consideration when we made our budgets and defined all the development work we would have to do. And we're still within budget." - he has declared Otmar Szafnauer, Alpine team principal.
Declaration source: FormulaPassion
