Can the budget cap really compromise the end of the season?

While the budget cap was intended to bring the teams closer together by reducing the gaps, it could ultimately condemn some of them. In any case, this is what Christian Horner says for the BBC. " Seven of the teams would likely have to miss the final four races to meet the cap this year. » In mid-March, the main team of Red Bull Racing already alerted the FIA ​​about this budget capped at 140 million dollars (135 million euros) by requesting its increase.

Why would the teams ask for an increase when they have planned the development of their single-seaters on this budgetary basis? Due to the rise in prices, the Formula 1 does not escape inflation, far from it. “ Energy bills, cost of living, costs are increasing exponentially, and F1 is not exempt. Freight has quadrupled and it's not something we can control », Points out the Briton.

Alpine think I can keep up with this budget

Among the teams concerned by this risk of premature end of the Championship, the main team does not mention any names. “ It's not just about the big teams. It's the middle of the pack teams that are really struggling with inflation issues. »

One thing seems certain, Alpine should be present on the grid until Abu Dhabi in November. “ We set our budgets early, we kind of anticipated inflation a little bit. Inflation has not only surprised us. If we can do it, surely others can do it too. I am not for a simple increase in the ceiling », explains Otmar Szafnauer, team principal ofAlpine.

At the beginning of May, the French team was one of the teams that refused an increase in the budget ceiling based on inflation calculated by the International Monetary Fund with Haas, Williams, Alfa Romeo et Aston Martin during an F1 Commission meeting.

Bluff or real concern around the budget ceiling

So some are wondering about the goodwill of this proposal from Christian Horner. “ When shipping costs go up by 2,5 or 3,5 million, but your development budget is 20 million, can't you make your development budget 17 million and stay under the cap? It's possible, explains the main American team. What that does then is it limits your development. So it's much easier, if you have the money, to go to the FIA ​​and lobby to increase the cap and keep the development budget the same »

Is Red Bull Racing, through Christian Horner, really campaigning for the future of Formula 1 and the people who work in this ecosystem or does the Austrian brand want new funds to establish its domination? The ball is once again in the court of the FIA ​​and Federico Lodi, head of financial regulation in Formula 1.

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