Red Bull did breach cost cap rules in the 2021 Formula 1 season, the FIA has revealed – though Max Verstappen may yet keep hold of his maiden world title with the governing body yet to decide a punishment.
Rumours surrounding Red Bull overspending in 2021 circulated at the Singapore Grand Prix. The budget cap was brought in by Formula 1 bosses ahead of last year, and it was widely reported that the Milton Keynes-based set up had exceeded the spending limit alongside Aston Martin.
If found guilty, the two sides faced punishment by the FIA. These punishments ranged from a slap on the wrist fine, to Verstappen being stripped of his maiden world title that he dramatically clinched in Abu Dhabi one year ago.
In a statement, the FIA said Red Bull had been found guilty of a "minor" procedural and overspend breach for the 2021 season. Aston Martin also committed a procedural breach, but did not overspend. The other teams on the grid were all found to be in compliance.
The statement also said: "The FIA Cost Cap Administration is currently determining the appropriate course of action to be taken under the Financial Regulations with respect to Aston Martin and Red Bull and further information will be communicated in compliance with the Regulations.
"Procedural Breaches can result in Financial Penalties and/or Minor Sporting Penalties (in case of aggravating factors) as detailed in the Financial Regulation. Minor Overspend breach (<5% Cost Cap) can result in Financial Penalties and/or Minor Sporting Penalties."
To determine the punishment, the FIA will work with Red Bull to come to an agreement, which would be published publicly. Failing that, if Red Bull do not agree with the penalty the governing body is willing to hand out, the matter will go to the Cost Cap Adjudication Panel.
The news comes after Red Bull boss Christian Horner repeatedly reiterated that his side had always played by the rules. He said in Singapore: "I'm absolutely confident in our submission. It's been through a process. It went in in March, in terms of [being] signed off fully by our auditors who are obviously one of the big three. And we believe that we are comfortably within the cap. So the FIA are following their process.
"We expect hopefully, and potentially this week, to hear not just us, but all of the teams, the outcome of that process." Horner did admit though that due to the regulations being newly implemented, that it could take time to for them to be both understood and implemented.
He went on: "There's always different interpretations to those regulations. So in the first year, it will be very interesting to see how that is applied. We've seen clarifications, even since the submissions were made, that apply to last year.
"So it's always going to be a process of evolution. "It's an enormous topic for the FIA to get their arms around, particularly when you look at the scale of the teams in the pit lane, many of which belong to even bigger conglomerates and organisations."
