The International Automobile Federation ordered Red Bull to pay a $7 million fine and give up wind tunnel time as punishment for exceeding the spending limit in the 2021 season by $1.8 million when Max Verstappen won his first championship.
The penalty, which was announced on Friday during the Mexico City Grand Prix, is sure to not please the team’s rivals who have called for a stiff penalty, from stripping Verstappen of his title last year, reducing the spending allowed to Red Bull in the future or any punishment that would harm the team competitively in the future.
Red Bull has already confirmed Verstappen’s second F1 title and constructors’ championship with three races remaining in the season.
“They are irritated, so it doesn’t matter what you do,” Verstappen said of those calling for him to be stripped of his title.
Instead, the FIA and Red Bull agreed to a financial fine and a 10% reduction in wind tunnel time in 2023. Red Bull has 30 days to pay the $7 million fine and one year to spread the reduction. of tunnel time.
In addition, the team must pay the expenses for the investigation.
Red Bull accepted its guilt from the FIA penalty notice, but the governing body assured that “there are no accusations or evidence that RBR at any time sought to act in bad faith, dishonestly or fraudulently, nor did it hide any information from the administration. of the spending limit.
Red Bull explained that this was a clerical error and misunderstanding of how to apply certain costs in areas such as: food, social service contributions, travel costs and how to deal with unused portions.
The spending cap was imposed to even out the competition and prevent larger teams with higher funding from being able to outspend smaller organizations.
Mercedes has argued that a monetary penalty will only encourage others to overspend and pay the fine. McLaren principal Zac Brown even wrote a letter to the FIA demanding harsher punishment for an offense he likened to cheating.
Brown’s letter upset Red Bull boss Christian Horner, who said the expense violation was minor but turned into a scandal.
“Suddenly they judge us and abuse us for three weeks. And after they send a letter accusing us of cheating and fraud, it’s not right and it has to stop,” Horner said last week.
