Budget cap implications forcing Ferrari to delay next upgrades until Silverstone. Budget cap delaying Ferrari upgrades until British GP.

Scuderia Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto has confirmed that his side will bring their next major upgrade package at the British Grand Prix next month, explaining that the budget cap restrictions are holding the Maranello team back from introducing upgrades during each race weekend.

In 2022, Formula 1 teams have to operate under a $140million budget limit and the deduction of $5million compared to the previous year combined with high global inflation means that it has become a lot more difficult to manage the budget in comparison to their previous spending levels.

Mattia Binotto says that this situation is impacting the team’s plans of developing the F1-75 car during the F1 campaign, which means that Ferrari has to carefully pick and choose their moments for bringing the upgrades .

With this in mind, the Italian side will most likely bring their next major planned improvements at the British Grand Prix in July, while the next two rounds of the 2022 Formula One season, the Azerbaijan and Canada Grand Prix, will have to be completed with largely the same package.

“I think the budget cap is dictating somehow what we can do.” Mattia Binotto explained last weekend – “We need to certainly have a close look at it and not wasting our money, because we cannot simply do that. I think we’ll bring upgrades when we have got a significant one. It will not come every single race that we will be bringing pieces. On top of that, I think you can look at the next races. We’ve got Monaco where maybe you’re bringing a new front suspension for steering angle, and then later on, we’ve got Baku which is a city circuit. So I think it will be around the UK where maybe some developments will arrive.” – he added.

Mattia Binotto and many of his colleagues have suggested an increase in the cap to account due to the current rate of inflation, but Haas team principal Guenther Steiner feels that any budgetary increase will allow the top teams improve their challengers, while at the same time creating an even bigger gap to the rest of the grid.

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But Mattia Binotto explained that there is still a lack of clarity on what can and cannot be done, that may result in uncertainty around what will happen if and when teams exceed their current budget limit for the 2022 Formula 1 season:

“I think that there will be no way for us simply to, to stay below,” he admitted. “So, I’m pretty sure that at some stage we will go over. In the regulations, there is a threshold, which is a 5%. If you do not exceed the 5%, on the top of what’s the budget cap threshold, it will be considered a minor breach. And what’s a minor breach in case of force majeure? What will the stewards and the FIA decide on that, in terms of penalties? No idea – but I don’t think there is any way for us – and for many teams – simply to stay within, and even laying off people, I don’t think that’s a good and right choice.” – the Ferrari boss concluded.