Red Bull took too much

One of the best Formula 1 teams Red Bull, whose driver Max Verstappen currently holds the title, could face serious problems. On Wednesday, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) may accuse Red Bull of exceeding its 2021 spending ceiling. According to the regulations, such a violation can be punished very harshly – up to and including exclusion from the championship.

Shortly before the Singapore Grand Prix held on Sunday (winning won Red Bull number two Sergio Pérez), specialist portals have circulated reports that the FIA ​​has received information that at least two Formula 1 teams exceeded the spending limit last season. Then it was $145 million (in the current season, teams should not spend more than $140 million, and in the 2023-2025 seasons – no more than $135 million). Two teams were mentioned as violators of the rules – Red Bull and Aston Martin. The fate of the latter is of little interest: last season the team took only seventh (out of ten) place in the Constructors’ Championship. Another thing is Red Bull, whose leader Max Verstappen, following the results of last season, became the world champion for the first time in his career.

Justification for reports that the two teams in the series violated the regulations, gave the statement of the boss of Mercedes, a key competitor to Red Bull last year, Toto Wolff. According to his statement to the TV channel Sky F1, everyone in the paddock has long known that two teams have exceeded the spending limit. In response, the boss of Red Bull Christian Horner said that the statements of Mr. Wolf are slanderous, and even threatened with some legal consequences.

It seems, however, that Toto Wolff is at least partly right. On Monday, Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko said the FIA ​​may have questions about the team’s reporting. True, at first he expressed surprise, how could the head of Mercedes find out about this.

According to the version of the famous former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher, the brother of the legendary Michael Schumacher, a certain ex-employee of Mercedes, who went to work for the FIA, could share the data with Mr. Wolf.

But in the end, Mr. Marco admitted that the FIA ​​has questions about the methods of calculation used in the reporting of Red Bull. To be more precise, questions arose immediately on six points. A Red Bull spokesman believes that if the FIA ​​agrees with the team’s explanations on at least two of the six disputed points, all charges will be dropped.

According to the FIA ​​regulations, there are two degrees of violation of the spending limit. Exceeding the ceiling by less than 5% is considered insignificant and does not entail serious consequences. Overcoming this bar is already considered a serious violation and gives the FIA ​​grounds to apply harsh sanctions of a wide range – from deprivation of some points to exclusion from the championship.

However, according to the Dutch TV channel Ziggo Sport, Red Bull and Aston Martin are still facing a fine of $ 7.5 million and restrictions on the time of work in wind tunnels next season.

However, it cannot be ruled out that the FIA ​​will take more stringent measures. For example, depriving Verstappen of a part of the points won in the season. This will return to the championship the sharpness it has lost. After all, at the moment the Dutchman broke away from the nearest pursuer – Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – already by 104 points. Thus, each of the five remaining races until the end of the championship can become a champion for Verstappen. The FIA ​​would probably like to delay the denouement until the last minute.

Alexander Petrov