Red Bull budget cap statements "fairytale hour", claim McLaren

Sam Hall
Sunday 30 October 2022 15:20

McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl has branded Red Bull's budget cap statement "fairytale hour" and has demanded stricter penalties from the FIA.

The championship-winning team was fined $7million and hit with a 10 per cent reduction in its wind tunnel and CFD testing time after being judged to have breached the spending limits by £1.864m, 1.6 per cent.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner described the sanctions as "draconian" in a press conference called to discuss the team's Accepted Breach Agreement.

Asked if he had listened to what Horner had to say, Seidl told Sky Sports F1: "No, I didn't listen to it because I can imagine it was another fairytale hour, probably.

"No, I'm not really interested in that.

"In the end, on a positive side, I think it is good to see that actually, the FIA did a good job in terms of doing the audio where nine teams got it right and it was confirmed that one team was clearly in breach.

"That is a positive outcome but, on the negative side, it is also clear that from my point of view, the penalty clearly doesn't fit the breach and I just hope that moving forward, we have stricter penalties in place."

READ MORE: Horner 'on the ropes', claims Brundle

Seidl - "No reason" for 2022 breach

The budget cap for the current season was increased earlier in the year as teams struggled to manage the cost of living crisis due to surging energy prices, a result of Russia's war in Ukraine.

Horner suggested that up to six UK-based teams could be in breach when the next set of accounts are filed, but Seidl dismissed this notion, adding: "No, not at all.

"I think there is absolutely no reason to be in breach this year. We had good discussions earlier this year with all teams, with the FIA, with Formula 1 regarding these topics.

"This is why the cap was also adjusted and it was also made clear in this meeting from all teams and the FIA's side that there is absolutely no reason after this positive decision for the sport that there is any breach at the end of this year.

"I just hope if there is any breach again this year that, as I said before, it ends up with appropriate penalties."