Red Bull agrees to penalty agreement for exceeding budget limit

The Red Bull case is about to be closed. The FIA announced a few weeks ago that the energy drink team “slightly” exceeded the 2021 budget cap. In regulation it is understood as “minor offense” exceeded the total allowable spending limit of 145 million dollars by less than 5%, that is, up to 7 million. Mercedes and Ferrari complained angrily about this violation. At Mercedes, they made it clear that Red Bull could improve the car more than them and Hamilton assured that for only 300,000 dollars more he could bring a spoiler or some new parts at the end of the course that could change the outcome of the tight that. World Cup taken Verstappen. However, Red Bull is believed to have exceeded that ceiling by 1.8 million and the team argues that it is about catering issues, the costs of employee meals being out of bounds, the issues of sick pay and redundancy and other issues. unrelated. in competition. Horner defended himself by making sure none of that money was used to improve his 2022 car or for the creation of the 2023 car. After so much controversy, the hot potato is in the hands of the FIA, and in this F1 Mexican GP everything is about to be resolved.

A week ago, the FIA ​​presented a proposed penalty agreement with Red Bull for exceeding the cost limit at the United States GP. Set to meet with Red Bull boss Horner FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem in Austin, but the meeting was postponed due to the death of Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz.

Accepting the agreement means for Red Bull to accept a small penalty, but at the same time, admit that they violated the regulations before public opinionsomething they continue to defend that they did not do and that everything depends on the interpretation made of a regulation that was too complicated in the first year of its application. Failure to do so would mean taking the case to an adjudication panel which could bring a bigger penalty to Red Bull. Therefore, According to Autosport, Red Bull decided to accept the said proposal of fault.

The sanction will be known this Friday

In the absence of knowing the final penalty that will be applied to Red Bull, which according to ‘BBC’ will be announced this Fridayit is speculated that the signing of this agreement will require the sanction of reducing its allowable wind tunnel time by 2023, something that could affect him in developing his car for next year. However, many remember that Red Bull already has the winning car, the best single-seater of 2022, so this punishment may be too light and not too commendable. Red Bull, as the winner of the 2022 World Cup, is the team with the least wind tunnel time for 2023 and now he will see it reduced even more.

On the other hand, Red Bull is also expected to receive a financial penalty for exceeding that budget ceiling and for committing a procedural violation.