Rumors emerged in Singapore last week that two teams – Red Bull and Aston Martin – may have breached the $145m [€128m at the time] budget cap for F1 in 2021.
The FIA was going to issue the certificates of conformity this Wednesday, while both teams categorically denied the accusations. However, the highest body decided to postpone the issuance of the results next Monday, which has caused the saga to continue during the Japanese Grand Prix weekend.
Ferrari sporting director Laurent Mekies said in Singapore that “the maximum penalties” should be applied for the infringements and called for transparency from the FIA.
Speaking to Sky Italia , the director of the Scuderia , Mattia Binotto , who had already expressed concern about the way the cost cap is applied, considered that the delay shows that there are “points that are not clear and that still need to be be defined” in the audit.
“There are points that the FIA is contesting and the team is trying to defend itself,” said the Swiss. “Regardless of what comes out, and I’m afraid it will be snow melting in the sun, I think all those decisions, how they have interpreted the regulations, what they have conceded – because for sure they will have conceded something – etc., everything comes out clearly. and transparent”.
Binotto said all parties “need to know what the discussions were” between the FIA and any team involved not only for the “direct benefit” it could offer, but also to understand how the regulations should be interpreted.
“The regulation was clear from the beginning, it was discussed,” said the Ferrari director. “We don’t understand the need to change them now beyond the first year of the budget cap.”
“Because with the FIA there have always been constant exchanges of information and we have always tried to clarify them,” he continued. “I’m a bit pessimistic about it, but first and foremost clarity and transparency from the FIA will be important.”
Red Bull has maintained during the Suzuka weekend that it is satisfied with its performance and remains confident that it has complied with the financial regulations over the past year.
“We were expecting the certificates on Wednesday too, but it has been delayed for all the teams,” Red Bull principal Christian Horner told Sky Sports on Friday. “The FIA has obviously made that decision. We look forward to seeing what happens on Monday.”
“But I insist, we feel that we have absolutely complied with the cost limit, with the regulations. We are happy with our presentation, and we hope to hear what the answer is,” he concluded.
