2021 Cost Cap Rumours and Speculation

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Multiple sources report that Red Bull has indeed exceeded the budget cap in 2021. But the sometimes circulating amounts are nonsense. It would be about 1 to 2 million dollars. Not in terms of car development, but due to costs such as catering and absenteeism due to illness.

Red Bull will probably be fined. That is not yet officially known and is still something between the team and the FIA. Team must first accept a penalty, or notify it to appeal.

FIA confirms that Red Bull is the team with a 'minor overspend breach'. Aston Martin has made a mistake in the procedure. Penalties for those two teams have not yet been announced. But it is expected to result in a fine.

How can you say that the overspend wasn't on the car but on absentees and other non car stuff?

Overspend is overspend.

Who decides where each dollar over the cap comes from where?

Otherwise why not just find out how much say transport costs, spend that exact amount over the cap and say "well it was for transport not the car"?

my guess is that when you compare the spending of RB in catering and absenteeism only, they are much higher than other teams in these departments - perhaps RB did not know that 1000s of free meals given to employees were going to end up falling into the budget cap? Otherwise, if RB's spending in catering/absenteeism is in line with other teams, then I would agree that spending is spending

[Wil992]

On the assumption that this info is reasonably accurate (which it may not be), then there has to be a significant penalty, otherwise we end with an unofficial cost cap that’s slightly higher than the official one. In the same way that we all drive a bit over the speed limit, knowing we won’t get prosecuted if we don’t take the piss. If 1mph over got you a ban, you’d never speed.

[Quantum]

I'll just say it now,

The whole sport is being taken for mugs. RB fans, and everyone else.

The sport deserves fair competition and this list of excuses (illness and catering) is contemptable to anyone who has a modicum of critical thinking.

[chrisc90]

Back to the risk vs reward scenario then….

All depends if the punishment/fine fits the risk of a overspend.

Also slightly concerning how this information has been leaked before the results have come out.

Oh and also, it’s ok to cheat providing you gain more than you potentially lose?

As I mentioned previously in the thread, if the penalty doesn’t fit the problem then it’s worth doing in my opinion.

Of course it’s against the rules to over spend, but the punishments for doing so aren’t exactly fitting for doing so. I did mention the only realistic ones that can be applied are a reprimand or a financial penalty.

The other sanctions aren’t really going to be used when your almost finished the season AFTER the reporting period for 2021

[214270]

How can you say that the overspend wasn't on the car but on absentees and other non car stuff?

Overspend is overspend.

Who decides where each dollar over the cap comes from where?

Otherwise why not just find out how much say transport costs, spend that exact amount over the cap and say "well it was for transport not the car"?

my guess is that when you compare the spending of RB in catering and absenteeism only, they are much higher than other teams in these departments - perhaps RB did not know that 1000s of free meals given to employees were going to end up falling into the budget cap? Otherwise, if RB's spending in catering/absenteeism is in line with other teams, then I would agree that spending is spending

That’s why it doesn’t matter where the purported overspend is, this seems like a tactic to minimise the offence. They overspent…simple

[mendis]

[Quantum]

It's an issue.. there can be more than 1 issue...

That's peak whattabouttery, you are literally deflecting attention from RB being caught red handed.
I wouldn't complain about the FIA leaking rule breaking.
I'd ask why it couldn't have been leaked sooner.

[e30ernest]

How can you say that the overspend wasn't on the car but on absentees and other non car stuff?

Overspend is overspend.

Who decides where each dollar over the cap comes from where?

Otherwise why not just find out how much say transport costs, spend that exact amount over the cap and say "well it was for transport not the car"?

my guess is that when you compare the spending of RB in catering and absenteeism only, they are much higher than other teams in these departments - perhaps RB did not know that 1000s of free meals given to employees were going to end up falling into the budget cap? Otherwise, if RB's spending in catering/absenteeism is in line with other teams, then I would agree that spending is spending

That’s why it doesn’t matter where the purported overspend is, this seems like a tactic to minimise the offence. They overspent…simple

Agreed. Some teams for example would have cut costs to account for catering and illnesses too. Money that could have gone to development.

Overspend is overspend and it should not matter where the overspend went. Now the question remaining is how much have RB overspent and what the FIA would do about it.

[rogazilla]

I guess there will be no free food for the remainder of the races at the RBR garage this year... and no more paid sick leave until 2023.

[Quantum]

I guess there will be no free food for the remainder of the races at the RBR garage this year... and no more paid sick leave until 2023.

Illness cancelled and bring packed lunch for 4 days.

[mendis]

I guess there will be no free food for the remainder of the races at the RBR garage this year... and no more paid sick leave until 2023.

Checo would be heart broken if there is no party when he wins next, a party like that of Monaco.

[SuperCNJ]

On the assumption that this info is reasonably accurate (which it may not be), then there has to be a significant penalty, otherwise we end with an unofficial cost cap that’s slightly higher than the official one. In the same way that we all drive a bit over the speed limit, knowing we won’t get prosecuted if we don’t take the piss. If 1mph over got you a ban, you’d never speed.

Exactly this. I mean, if the technical tolerances to which the FIA scrutinizes every aspect of the cars at every race and the associated significant penalties for non-compliance are anything to go by, then a simple financial penalty for overspending would seem grossly disproportionate particularly as financial penalties are not really going to hurt the big teams.

If £Xm penalty buys you say 0.5secs and potentially a championship, say, I'm sure there are many teams that would happily pay that!

[chrisc90]

On the assumption that this info is reasonably accurate (which it may not be), then there has to be a significant penalty, otherwise we end with an unofficial cost cap that’s slightly higher than the official one. In the same way that we all drive a bit over the speed limit, knowing we won’t get prosecuted if we don’t take the piss. If 1mph over got you a ban, you’d never speed.

If £Xm penalty buys you say 0.5secs and potentially a championship, say, I'm sure there are many teams that would happily pay that!

That’s what I mean. If teams believe that a small over spend will give you an advantage for 4 years down the line you would be silly not to take that option. (There is of course no guarantee that RB did overspend on the RB18/2022 season of course)

I don’t agree with overspending, just to put that on record.

When the rules are that ‘loose’ on terms of penalties, especially those that carry forward to the next season, you have to sit down and seriously think is it worth the risk of spending that little bit extra, if it means you make more progress than you otherwise would have

[Quantum]

That’s what I mean. If teams believe that a small over spend will give you an advantage for 4 years down the line you would be silly not to take that option.

You'd be silly not cheat?

[LM10]

So finally it's official now. After all, as always, it actually was true that where is smoke, there is fire.

Considering Alfa Romeo for example have 2.4 million dollars for in-season-development available, one can only think of the possibilities in terms of performance gain when you overshoot the budget cap by up to 2 millions.


Fred Vasseur:

You have to understand that sometimes with €200,000 you can bring a big update. And if you overshoot the budget by this, it's a couple of tenths for more than one race.

Otmar Szafnauer:

At the margin, any spend above the margin is spent on performance: And once you start spending on performance where others don't get a chance to, because they've actually stuck to the budget cap, that's serious.