Why F1 driver salary cap is legally impossible in short-term

Lewis Hamilton on the grid with Max Verstappen — Photo: © LAT Images

Formula 1

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Why F1 driver salary cap is legally impossible in short-term

F1 must overcome this hurdle

Ewan Gale

Friday 3 June 2022 13:00

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has warned any potential cap on F1 driver salaries would be impossible in the near future due to the legal ramifications.

The sport introduced its first budget cap last year, with the $145million permitted spend reduced by $5m for the current campaign.

Only a select few areas of each organisation are excluded from the guidelines, which include driver salaries, the next three highest earners and hospitality costs.

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But the topic of a driver salary cap re-emerged at the Monaco Grand Prix given that some drivers earn enough to reach rich lists around the world whilst others have paid for their place on the grid.

Asked where he stood on the matter, Binotto replied: "That's a point we started discussing a month ago now, together with all the teams, F1 and the FIA.

"We understand the importance of trying to cap the overall expenses.

"Obviously, there is not only the top three key personnel in the team, there is not only the drivers but there is the engine and the power unit as well, for which there will be a budget cap in the future.

"So we are discussing it again. There is not a straightforward solution, especially for the drivers’ salary cap.

"But no doubt that we are discussing it and trying to understand what is the solution."

F1 will "go through the process" in driver salary cap talks

Implementing the cap would be difficult given drivers are already signed to contracts, the longest of which carries Max Verstappen through to 2028 with Red Bull.

Explaining the hurdles in place, Binotto, who represents the F1 teams on the World Motor Sport Council, said: "It will not be in the short term.

"The reason for that is we already have contracts in place, and we cannot simply breach them.

"There are legal implications, certainly to understand how to do that, so it's a discussion.

"It's an important one, we understand it and we recognise it will take time, but certainly we will go through the process."

Additional reporting by Ian Parkes