From the engineers’ point of view, one could speak of a two-day event at the United States Grand Prix. Teams only had the first and third practice sessions to prepare for qualifying and the race. However, the first practice session was only of limited value because of the green track. The second practice session, extended to 90 minutes, was dedicated to Pirelli for developing the 2023 tyres.
But the more interesting part happened off the track. Everything revolved around Red Bull’s breaching of the budget cap affair. The Austrian team has known for a week what punishment it faces. Allegedly [reminder these are rumors and unconfirmed], a deduction of 25% of the wind tunnel time for next season and a fine is the proposed penalty, as reported by German magazine Auto Motor und Sport.
A retroactive punishment with a point deduction for 2021 should be off the table. Red Bull is said to have disagreed with this penalty offer. Thus the talks are continuing and we haven‘t heard any decision yet. The matter is so serious that allegedly the Mateschitz family is also being consulted.
In Austin, team boss Christian Horner contacted FIA President Mohammed bin Sulayem. Supposedly to make him a counter-suggestion as to what punishment one could live with. On the outside, this gives the impression that guilt and atonement can be negotiated like in a bazaar.
However, Mohammed Ahmad Sultan Ben Sulayem can at best act as a neutral observer in the matter. The process is entirely in the hands of independent examiners and judges, should a hearing occur if the two parties cannot agree on a fair penalty.
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Apparently, Christian Horner can’t decide for himself how he wants to approach the matter. The scope of the case is so great that the Mateschitz family must be consulted in any case. This is not just about the Formula 1 team, but the image of a brand. According to reports, this has already led to some delays.
From the FIA’s point of view, it is up to Red Bull how quickly the process ends. If an agreement is reached with the cost cap administrator, the matter can be closed immediately. If it goes to court, the issue can drag on for another six months.
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