Lando Norris has backed Lewis Hamilton's stance and wants to see any team found guilty of breaking Formula 1 cost cap rules to be severely punished for their transgressions.
Rumours continue to swirl that at least one team spent too much in the 2021 season. That speculation began before last weekend's Singapore Grand Prix, and intensified further after the FIA delayed its findings from their analysis of each team's financial submissions for last year.
The early rumours named Red Bull and Aston Martin as teams that allegedly went over the spending cap. But both have denied those suggestions, with Christian Horner even going as far as to say the claims were "defamatory".
The FIA is now due to release its findings on Monday, after the conclusion of the Japanese Grand Prix weekend. Norris is one of the drivers who hopes that, if the governing body does find any team to be in breach of the rules, severe sanctions are handed out.
"I think because teams are trying to find and trying to be as efficient as possible with every single thing that they do, any small amount over is, in any part of Formula 1, maybe not huge, but depending on what it is, a big advantage," said the Brit.
"Considering there has been such a rule implied to make things a bit more comparable for everyone, give all teams a better chance at fighting, then it’s just an unfair stat within the performance of Formula 1. There should be a pretty hefty penalty for whoever does cross the line."
Hamilton is another who called for any team in breach to be held "accountable" by the FIA. He told reporters at Suzuka: "We've seen in previous years of the sport, things have been dealt with in the background. I don't think that's the way forward with the new way of working with Mohammed [ben Sulayem]. I think integrity is very important to him."
And on the Red Bull speculation, he added: "What I can say is last year in Silverstone we had our last upgrade and fortunately it was great and we could fight with it. But then we would see Red Bull every weekend, or every other weekend, bringing upgrades.
"They had I think at least four more upgrades from that point. If we had spent £300,000 on a new floor or adapted wing it would have changed the outcome of the championship naturally. We would have been in better competition at the next race. I hope that's not the case."
