EXCLUSIVE: Red Bull are found only in ‘minor’ breach of Formula One’s £114m spending cap – and the decision will NOT hand Lewis Hamilton the 2021 F1 title won by his rival Max Verstappen
- Red Bull have been found in a minor breach of the £114m spending cap
- FIA published auditing findings into Red Bull’s spending cap for the 2021 season
- Discrepancy was no more than £1.8m, not speculated £10m over the budget cap
- Lewis Hamilton was controversially beaten to the 2021 title by Max Verstappen
- Red Bull released statement insisting their submission was ‘well below’ cost cap
Red Bull have been found in ‘minor’ breach of Formula One’s cost cap.
The news, broken by Sportsmail, was confirmed by the FIA on Monday afternoon.
The communique from the sport’s governing body did not specify the amount by which the Milton Keynes-based team exceeded the £114million ceiling for last season. Sources have indicated that it was by no more than £1.8m, but it may be less.
Red Bull have been found guilty of a minor breach of the 2021 F1 season spending cap but will not be stripped of the 2021 world championship won by Max Verstappen (pictured celebrating his first tile success after the Abu Dhabi with team boss Christian Horner, left)
Lewis Hamilton was denied a record eighth world championship by Verstappen last season
The news vindicates Red Bull team principal Christian Horner after he was unfairly vilified
It was deemed a ‘minor’ breach – rather than a ‘material’ one – on the basis it was less than five per cent of the limit, or £5.7m.
The fact the exact figures were not made public by the FIA will further fuel feelings that the process – which has dragged on 302 days since Max Verstappen controversially beat Lewis Hamilton to the 2021 title – is not as transparent as it should be.
No other team was named as having over-spent, though Aston Martin and Williams were found to have made a ‘procedural’ mistake – a failure to fill out or submit forms as required.
As Sportsmail revealed last week, the relatively ‘minor’ level of Red Bull’s breach means their star man Verstappen will not be stripped of last year’s title in favour of Hamilton. Had they overspent close to £10m, as Mercedes suggested last week in private briefings to journalists, that rewriting of the record books could have been the extraordinary consequence.
Aston Martin (left) and Williams (right) were found to have made a ‘procedural’ mistake – a failure to fill out or submit forms as required – as part of the FIA’s report released on Monday
Max Verstappen will keep his 2021 F1 championship title following the FIA investigation
Lewis Hamilton (front) was controversially pipped to the title last season by Verstappen in 2021
Although such a result has been avoided, it is not yet clear what penalty Red Bull will receive. It is likely to be a fine. According to sources, the team will be granted the opportunity to appeal but would do so at risk of incurring further punishment than they are already due.
Red Bull have previously maintained that when they submitted their accounts in March they were under budget – by a margin of more than £3million. They further believe they are over-budget owing to disputed catering costs and health care provision for sick staff.
Responding to Monday’s verdict, Red Bull said in a statement: ‘We note the findings by the FIA of ‘minor overspend breaches of the financial regulations’ with surprise and disappointment.
‘Our 2021 submission was below the cost cap limit, so we need to carefully review the FIA’s findings as our belief remains that the relevant costs are under the 2021 cost cap amount.
Lando Norris (right) believes any team that breaches the cost cap should get a ‘hefty penalty’
Verstappen passed Hamilton on the final lap of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in the season finale to claim an extraordinary maiden world championship
‘Despite the conjecture and position of others, there is of course a process under the regulations with the FIA which we will respectfully follow while we consider all the options available to us.’Â
Whatever the exact figures involved, this saga is another unwanted story so long after the turbulent events of the title decider in Abu Dhabi last December, when many believed Hamilton was cheated out of his eighth world title by the late withdrawal of the safety car.
The FIA statement said: ‘The FIA cost cap administration has issued certificates of compliance to seven of the 10 competitors.
‘The review of the reporting documentation submitted has been an intensive and thorough process, and all competitors gave their full support in providing the required information to assess their financial situation during this first year of the financial regulations.
‘The FIA cost cap administration notes that all competitors acted at all times in a spirit of good faith and cooperation throughout the process.
Verstappen sealed his second world championship on Sunday at the Japanese Grand Prix
‘The FIA would also note that with respect to this first year of the application of the financial regulations the intervention of the FIA cost cap administration has been limited to reviewing the submissions made by the competitors and that no full formal investigations were launched.
‘The FIA cost cap administration is currently determining the appropriate course of action to be taken under the financial regulations with respect to Aston Martin and Red Bull and further information will be communicated in compliance with the regulations.’
This storm blew up again a day after Verstappen was crowned champion for a second time at Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix.
