F1 News: Red Bull Accuses 6 Teams Of Breaching 2022 Cost Cap
One of the biggest dramas of the 2022 season was the findings of the 2021 cost cap breach. Red Bull received a $7 million fine along with a reduction in wind tunnel time for the 2023 season. The only other team that was found to go over the budget was Aston Martin who received a fine of $450,000. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has come out to say he thinks "there could be six team in breach of the cap" this year.
When Red Bull were handed their reprimand, Horner said the penalties they received were "draconian" and added that "several" other teams were in breach of the cost cap as well.
Horner added:
“I think what we have set is a precedent. And it sets a precedent for 2022. And a danger for 2022 is that there could be six teams in breach of the cap. Energy prices have been exponential, but thankfully we’ve been protected from that.
“But there is that chance that several teams, many of which have stated it during F1 commission meetings, will break the cap this year."
Helmut Marko, Red Bull advisor, has also commented saying he anticipates that six teams will be over the cost cap this year. He explained to Auto Motor und Sport:
“I think the current status is that six teams are over it.
“Inflation is something that was not calculable to that extent, especially when it comes to energy costs."
Red Bull and the FIA received a huge amount of backlash over the cost cap breach, partly because they went over the budget in 2021 which had the controversial ending at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix where Max Verstappen took his first championship title.
Many F1 fans also felt that the fine and punishment was too small. The whole point of the cost cap is to bring the teams closer together to give the smaller teams a chance to be more competitive. However, if the larger teams can account for a $7 million fine on top of their spending, they can push the limits further.