Martin Brundle insists F1’s budget cap rules need “tightening up” in the wake of Red Bull’s “minor financial breach” as revealed on Monday.
Red Bull, who have won last year’s and this year’s Drivers Championship with Max Verstappen, say they’re “surprised and disappointed” after the FIA found they were guilty of an overspend of the 2021 cost cap.
Their punishment is yet to be determined, with the options ranging from a fine to points deductions. Aston Martin were also found guilty of a procedural breach, as were Red Bull. Yet Sky Sports pundit and ex-F1 driver Brundle believes the 5% overspend margin – when a breach goes from minor to major – is still too much and the rules need to be “rigid.”
“What seems crazy to me is that a minor breach can be up to 5% overspend on the cost cap at 7 million,” he said on Sky’s Any Driven Monday show. “We know that’s a massive upgrade on a car, maybe even a B-spec for some teams. So that needs tightening up for starters, because what’s the point in having 140 million, whatever the number ends up being, and then having this five percent variance?
