Ferrari bemoan "very small" impact of Red Bull budget cap penalty

Ferrari sporting director Laurent Mekies — Photo: © LAT Images

Red Bull - F1 budget cap

4 reacties

Ferrari bemoan "very small" impact of Red Bull budget cap penalty

Scuderia feels punishment was lenient

Ian Parkes

Monday 7 November 2022 10:16

Ferrari sporting director Laurent Mekies has criticised the minimal impact on Red Bull of its budget cap breach punishment.

Red Bull was fined $7million by the FIA's Cost Cap Administration and handed a 10 percent reduction in the use of its windtunnel and CFD tools following a breach of just over £1.8m.

Team principal Christian Horner described the penalty as "draconian" and that it could result in the loss of up to half a second per lap in development on next season's car, a claim later slated by Mercedes as 'an exaggeration'.

Mekies certainly feels Red Bull got off lightly.

"We have been spending the last few weeks talking about what would you do with half a million more, one million, two million, three million, etcetera," said Mekies.

Article continues under video

"From our perspective, with our numbers as Ferrari, two million Euros of overspend seems like something that would have a significant lap-time influence, that would influence races.

"We have to move on, the penalty is what it is. We certainly feel it is low.

"We don't see it on the same scale as being able to compensate the overspend that was done, especially combined with the fact that ultimately it is not combined with any budget cap reductions for them.

"Therefore, you are effectively completely free to spend your money elsewhere. You will spend a little bit less in the windtunnel where you have these 10 percent restrictions, you will spend it somewhere else.

"So, we think that, altogether, what will remain of the real impact of that penalty will probably be very small."

Ferrari call on FIA for earlier announcement

Mekies has also called on the FIA to deliver its findings into this year's budget cap far earlier next season than was the case on this occasion.

The teams delivered their accounts to the FIA in early March but it was not until late October the details were announced.

Admittedly, the FIA was dealing with the first year of submissions and faced many questions from the teams seeking clarifications on numerous points.

Mekies, however, is hoping the process can be speeded up next year.

"The important thing is that we arrived at a clear breach, and to a confirmed breach," said Mekies, referring to Red Bull. "We move on.

"Moving forward what we all need is to do everything we can to support the FIA to make sure that we don't wait for October next year to know how 2022 went.

"That's something that will be shared by most people. We'll certainly do everything we can to support everyone we need, to reach that target."