Red Bull Is "Angry" After Behaviour During Last Season's Cost Cap Drama

The 2022 Singapore Grand Prix saw a whirlwind of rumours surrounding Red Bull Racing and their alleged breach of the 2021 cost cap. The cap, introduced to ensure a level playing field by limiting teams to a maximum spend of $145m per season, had caused quite a stir in the paddock. But what exactly did the Milton Keynes squad do to warrant such outrage?

Red Bull was eventually found to be in minor breach of the cost cap but was deemed to be accidental by the FIA. The team was slapped with a $7m fine and lost 10% of their wind tunnel testing time for 2023. Although some in the paddock were outraged by what they saw as a mere slap on the wrist, others believed the punishment was fair.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown went so far as to write a letter to the FIA, calling for Red Bull's punishment to be more severe and even labelling the team as "cheats". Meanwhile, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff predicted that the reputational damage caused by the overspending would be significant for Red Bull and their sponsors.

Despite this handicap, Red Bull's performance on the track has been nothing short of spectacular. They secured a front-row lockout and converted it into a one-two finish at the Bahrain Grand Prix, leaving their rivals in the dust but stirring questions of what effect it had on the team if any. The team has been over a second quicker than their competition at times this season, with many wondering how they managed to achieve such an impressive advantage.

According to British journalist Joe Saward, Red Bull's dominance this season is simply their revenge for how they were treated last year. Saward suggests that rival teams stirred up controversy around Red Bull's spending, causing them to feel angry and defensive. But now, with the fastest car on the grid and a seemingly unbeatable lead, Red Bull is having the last laugh.

“We are now seeing Red Bull’s revenge for last year’s cost cap campaigns that rival teams stirred up. It made RB people angry," he said.

“When one team blows the others away, the rivals start to fray at the edges. Watch now as people get fired and structures are rethought.”

So, is Red Bull's cost cap controversy really just a storm in a teacup? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure: this season is shaping up to be in the bag already with Red Bull looking unbeatable and their rivals scrambling to catch up.