Mercedes, Ferrari & Red Bull in agreement with ‘no way’ penalties can be avoided

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Formula One's top teams Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes are all in agreement with the desire to increase the budget cap for the 2022 season, with Ferrari chief Mattia Binotto declaring there's 'no way' penalties can be avoided.

Every team on the grid has a cost cap of $140m (£119m) for 2022, intended to increase competition across the field, but the current economic crisis has led to unexpected pressure and severe risk the regulations will be exceeded.

Red Bull's Christian Horner has already warned that teams on the grid could be forced to miss as many as four races in order to adhere to the regulations and Binotto believes that even the top teams will be hit as there's 'no way' penalties can be avoided.

"I think that there will be no way for us to stay below. So, I'm pretty sure that at some stage we will go over.

"In the regulations, there is a threshold, which is a 5 per cent. If you do not exceed the 5 per cent, on the top of what's the budget cap threshold, it will be considered a minor breach. And what's a minor breach in case of force majeure? What will the stewards and the FIA decide on that, in terms of penalties?

"No idea – but I don't think there is any way for us – and for many teams – simply to stay within, and even laying-off people, I don't think that's a good and right choice."

Mercedes chief Toto Wolff agrees, declaring F1 is facing an 'exceptional situation, while Red Bull's Horner is hopeful that the FIA will act swiftly to make a decision and alleviate the financial pressure being placed upon those on the grid.

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However, the proposals are facing resistance from elsewhere on the grid with Alpine and Alfa Romeo among those opposing an increase of the budget cap, with Alfa Romeo's Fred Vasseur stating teams should just halt the development of their cars.

"We are in this situation and sooner or later we will have to stop the development of the car because we will be at the limit of our budget. And I think everybody can do the same. It's absolutely not a case of force majeure, because inflation is not a case of force majeure."

Formula One returns with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on June 12th, the eighth round of the 2022 season.

  • Formula One
  • F1
  • Mercedes
  • Red Bull Racing
  • Ferrari

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