Formula 1 is a strange sport, we have continuous confirmation of this. After the Japanese Grand Prix, in a linear reality, rivers of words would have been written about the second F1 world championship won by a phenomenal Max Verstappen. Instead, there was more talk about the budget cap, Red Bull’s breach and the possible sanctions that may arise.
Why did this happen? Simple: the FIA was required to verify compliance with the accounts, but despite having the papers in hand since March, took months to evaluate the correct application of a financial rule that itself had drafted.
As if that were not enough, it is still the FIA that postponed the publication of the first results right after the day of the title was awarded. An unfortunate timing that casts even more doubts over a discipline that is rarely straightforward.
If the huge waiting times were not enough, the FIA has not yet established what are the penalties that Aston Martin and, to a greater extent, Red Bull will have to serve. Evidence that fuels gossip, accusations and the suspicion that in the background there is a close dialogue between the parties to arrive at yet another inscrutable agreement, a compromise that satisfies a few while disadvantaging many.
The facts are well known, as pointed out by FormulaUnoAnalisiTecnica. The question is all about the Minor Breach of which Red Bull is guilty. The infringement, it has now been established, is less than 5% of the expected spending limit and refers to the 2021 F1 world championship, which forced the newly elected president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, to profound structural changes, with consequent removal of Michael Masi.
Due to the well-known events in Abu Dhabi, Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes felt cheated of a title that was in their pocket until a few kilometers from the finish line. This new story has clearly reopened wounds that have not fully healed for Mercedes, producing rather annoyed reactions among the team from Brackley: “It is a so-called minor violation, but I believe the definition is incorrect. If you spend five million more than the allowed limit – explained Toto Wolff – you are still in a minor breach but the impact on the championship is still significant. To give you an idea, we closely monitor which parts are brought to the track by the top teams in each single race and for the 2021 and 2022 seasons we can see that there are two top teams that are the same and another that instead spends more. We know exactly how much we spend: three and a half million a year on components that we carry on the car. So you can see what a difference it makes to spend another $ 500,000. ” – the Mercedes boss pointed out.
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Those two teams that are probably equal are Ferrari and Mercedes. The other, the one with the most “libertine” management, Red Bull. It goes without saying that in a very tight world championship like the 2021 one, even an infringement of a few hundred thousand dollars could have had a very strong impact on the final outcome of the battle. And this is what Lewis Hamilton had underlined in the press conference at the Japanese event.
These days there are rumors about the areas in which Red Bull has spent more than allowed. There are those who speak of money spent on catering, other who suggest funds that were destined for dismissed personnel. Things that from a technical point of view, would mean no direct advantages in terms of car performance. In reality, it is the principle of the cumulative expenditure limit that has been broken. An action which, according to the comments made by Ross Brawn back in 2019, should lead to very severe penalties.
That will not happen, be sure. The 2021 World championship results will remain the same. The battles that Mercedes and Ferrari are waging have no retroactive value. The goal is to press the FIA to limit Red Bull in the coming seasons. And it can never be a coincidence that Helmut Marko, just yesterday, asserted, almost out of nowhere, that the reserved agreement between FIA and Ferrari after the power unit gate produced mild effects in Maranello (a statement which is far from the truth given how the 2020 F1 season went for Scuderia Ferrari).
It is as if the Austrian manager wanted to give the feeling that in Red Bull no retroactive penalties are expected and that the effects for the future may not be as painful (and they weren’t, we repeat) like those suffered by Ferrari. A somewhat risky way to bring water to your mill. The hope is that the affair will close soon because otherwise it only feeds everyone’s unease.
F1 needs to bury the controversy and return to focusing on the technical and sporting aspects. This is why the FIA must operate with transparency and diligence. Will they be able to do it? And, above all, will they be able to issue serious, fair sanctions that are not the result of yet another political bargaining?
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