FIA "backing out" of "over the top" cost cap policing - Budkowski

Alpine executive director Marcin Budkowski has claimed the FIA is "backing out" and "coming back to something more sensible" with regard to the policing of F1's cost cap.

For the first time in its history, F1 is racing under a strict $145 million cost cap this year with this number set to reduce steadily in upcoming seasons.

In policing this, Budkowski confirmed the FIA requires teams to log every spare part and account for everything.

"There is a fair amount of admin associated, and some of it probably has got a little bit over the top, and the FIA is backing out of it because it was a little bit too complicated," Budkowski told select media including GPFans Global.

"Part of it is necessary, unfortunately, because it's policing of the regulations."

Although agreed by the teams, Budkowski suggested: "Part of it, dare I say, is maybe some of the top teams that are not that happy about the cost cap have tried to complicate it so much that it becomes unpoliceable or demonstrate that it's not going to work.

"I think the FIA has realised that and is coming back to something more sensible. "It's a learning process for the teams, it's a learning process for the FIA. We are building this in a way together.

"Sometimes we get it right straight away, sometimes we don't.

"All teams are suspicious, we all look at each other and say 'Okay, I'll comply, but I want everybody else to comply as well.'

"We're all for policing, it just needs to be at the right level, so it doesn't become a contest of accountancy."

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