After several months of waiting with ongoing delays on a report that should have first been published in July, then in September and later on October 5, the FIA has finally sent Formula 1’s cost cap compliance certificates in 2021. last Monday, October 10.
In said report, motorsport’s top flight governing body confirmed that seven of the 10 teams had received the certificate, while three others – Red Bull, Aston Martin and Williams – had not.
After examining the budgets and expenses of the Formula 1 teams for the 2021 season, the FIA concluded that Red Bull had been the only structure on the grid to exceed the spending cap by a minimal amount (below the 5%) , without giving details.
Since before the publication of that report, it had been rumored that the team’s excess of energy drinks could have been serious (above 5%), something that would carry large penalties that could even leave Max Verstappen without the title of champion. of the world.
According to Red Bull sports advisor Helmut Marko , all such talk is unfounded:
“I don’t want to say much on the subject, but we remain quite convinced that we haven’t broken any of the budget rules at all,” Marko told German F1 Insider . “We are still talking about it with the FIA, and we will see where these talks take us.”
“We do not admit fault. We will continue to defend ourselves to prove our truth. But I can already say with complete certainty, that the idea that they can take the title from Max Verstappen sounds ridiculous .”
“After all, in the past we have seen other teams commit much bigger offenses and get away with it,” concluded Helmut Marko.
Max Verstappen won his first world championship in Formula 1 by the minimum in a heart-stopping finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in which both he and his rival, Lewis Hamilton, arrived tied with the same number of points and everything was decided in a controversial and exciting last lap.
Is it possible that that title, almost a year later, ends up in the hands of the British Mercedes driver? Judging by the words of the Red Bull adviser, it seems totally unlikely.
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