F1 News: Ferrari Chief Breaks Down Budget Cap Amid Red Bull Penalty Complaints

Frederic Vasseur has warned that the budget cap penalty does nothing to deter repeat offenders.

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has given out a warning to the governing body for the example it set by levying a lenient cost cap penalty on Red Bull after it breached the limit in 2021. 

Vasseur is afraid that other teams might follow suit since they get to do what they want in exchange for a small expense levied on them as a penalty. Red Bull was found to have breached the $145 million cap by a 'small amount', for which, it was handed over a $7 million fine and a 10 percent reduction in aerodynamic testing time. 

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With Red Bull's penalty being considered soft, Vasseur has raised serious questions over the effectiveness of the punishment, especially considering the rumours of further breaches having been made last year. Speaking to La Gazzetta Dello Sport, Vasseur said:

"A penalty like last year really isn't severe.

"If it should be necessary again, such a penalty should be much heavier.

"You have to keep in mind that a technical advantage will translate into a sporting advantage. Therefore, the penalty should be sporting and not a fine.

"In soccer, if you use a hand, it's a penalty... they don't give you a [non-sporting] penalty.

"The deduction of 10 per cent wind tunnel time is a big joke. They have already done most of the work by then."

Vasseur goes on to say that the fine amount is something that all big constructors can afford. All they would do in exchange for exceeding the cost cap would be to free up the budget and accommodate the fine amount in it. He said:

"A 5 per cent violation is not small, it is big.

"If you have a budget of $135 million, $80 million of that already goes to personnel, another $20 million to race costs, materials, brakes and so on.

"Making four chassis at the beginning of the season also costs about $20 million. Then you already arrive at about $120-125 million. This is about the same for everyone.

"That leaves about $10 million to develop.

"If you go a few million over your budget, then you should not look at the total $135 million, as has been said. We should collectively not shove this under the rug, because then you risk it being discussed at the table.

"There is a big difference between an innocent mistake or a choice.

"A bit like someone making a mistake on their tax return, versus a company arranging something to avoid taxes in a tax haven. We have to be tough: this is about the future of the budget cap.

"Otherwise, everyone is going to do the same thing. Then you free up budget to pay the penalty and say amen. The big constructors can afford all this."

Several teams have voiced their concerns over the lenient punishment handed over to Red Bull. The question is, are they going to do something about it?