Budget ceiling: Renault does not want to call everything into question

While Formula 1, like the world, is going through an unprecedented period of turbulence, several mid-grid teams believe that new shock measures must be taken to ensure the sustainability of the sport and all of its competitors. 

After the extension of the period of compulsory closure of F1 factories and the postponement by one year of the technical revolution planned for 2021, other avenues are being studied, such as the introduction of aerodynamic development tokens, and above all the lowering of the budget ceiling, currently set at 175 million dollars (160 million euros), with entry into force next year. 

McLaren thus openly campaigns for expenditure to be limited to 100 million dollars (92 million euros) and accuses the big cars, who unsurprisingly are slowing down, of playing with fire. Openly targeted, Mattia Binotto, the team principal Ferrari, recently raised on Sky the hypothesis of a rational cost control via a two-speed “budget cap”. 

The Italian manager argues that certain structures, typically the Scuderia, are more imposing because they develop everything internally and also have client teams. Therefore, Binotto believes that the big cars should be allowed to spend more. A suggestion which does not gain the support of Cyril Abiteboul, whose stable Renault produces chassis and engines.  

« The ceiling is completely under discussion, the principal team of the Renault F1 Team recently told AUTOhebdo. Afterwards, I think we must be careful not to question everything: the exclusions, the scope, the amount, etc. We are more in favor of simple things, namely only modifying a ceiling. Starting to imagine different ceilings depending on whether you are a manufacturer, engine manufacturer, or customer team, these are complicated things and are not necessary. All this has already been provided for in the financial regulations. Just implement it and finish the job ».

Abiteboul, on the other hand, proposes the implementation of other measures such as the introduction of a salary cap for pilots.

« This crisis creates favorable circumstances for other measures on which we have collectively procrastinated a little until now, explains the French manager. In these times when everyone will have to tighten their belts, this seems to me to be an audible, even necessary, message. If the top teams have to make hundreds of layoffs based on the cap budget and we continue to pay the drivers tens of millions per year, I find that there is something that does not add up ». 

There is no doubt that these questions are on the agenda of the extensive discussions which punctuate the daily lives of team bosses and F1 officials in these times of generalized confinement.