Exactly one week ago the “budget cap gate” broke out, with several authoritative newspapers and websites announcing the infringement of the financial regulation by two (or more) teams. What happened next was largely predictable: the paddock became a real war zone (and social networks even worse). Some were accusers, some were accused, but everyone had their own reasons to raise their voices.
In the end, the only one responsible is the FIA, which inexplicably is unable to give an official version of what happened in 2021. In this way, the ones who lose are the fans and the credibility of Formula 1.
Yes, because the meager fact of the leak was not enough, even the long-awaited meeting on Wednesday ended with a postponement. Or rather, we do not know what they said or decided. But we know that, for the umpteenth time, we haven’t had an answer. Today, seven days after the “big bang”, the situation is basically the same.
“Break the budget cap, you lose the championship,” Ross Brawn said in 2019
“Financial regulations are a difficult change to make in Formula 1,” Ross Brawn said back in 2019 during a FIA press conference in Austin, Texas.
“We have tried in the past and have not been successful. I think the key thing about the new financial regulations is that they are part of the FIA rules. The penalties for breaking the financial regulations will be sporting penalties of different kinds, depending on the severity of the infringement. Before we had the resource restriction, which was an gentlemen agreement between teams. Well, there aren’t many gentlemen in the paddock, I’m afraid, and it was a failure,” – he added before launching a genuine slogan:
“If you fraudulently breach the financial regulations, you will lose your championship. There will be serious consequences for the teams that break these regulations. How will we have control over expenses? We have a very strong team of financial experts within the FIA and F1 and we sought external support. The new rules are essential for the well-being of F1.”
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“Break the budget cap, lose the championship.” – we can summarize the speech of a Ross Brawn rightly enthusiastic about the introduction of the maximum budget cap. Probably, however, the Formula 1 managing director, motor sports and technical director was too optimistic when he considered the new budget cap limitations as “a fundamental part” of the FIA rules and a guarantee regarding the financial control.
He who knows if he still thinks so, given the recent setbacks and the lack of transparency.
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