Aston Martin raises cost cap concerns ahead of Baku Sprint Weekend
The exorbitant repair costs given the high frequency of crashes at Baku could be a factor in a potential cost cap breach in the long run
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Aston Martin via Motorsport.com
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is known for the frequency of its crashes, with the narrow street circuit leaving no scope for error throughout its tight turns and narrow margins. The track was home to several famous incidents, most iconically Charles Leclerc’s crash in 2019.
The hosting of two races there over the course of two days has raised eyebrows over the financial effect it can have on teams, as they prepare for the exorbitant repair costs in anticipation of crashes, which would be multiplied given the extra laps spent on track in high intensity.
Aston Martin is one of the teams that have publicly expressed their concern, with their Performance Director Tom McCullough describing the events as ‘worrying’. He expressed his concerns about the prospective changes that have been proposed, saying, “I think the existing grid format already is quite challenging and works pretty well. So I think we should do that a bit more to be learned. The single lap qualifying and things like that, I don’t think that’s necessarily the right thing to do and the higher potential for accidents in damage.”
Although F1 teams are provided with a financial provision for Sprint weekends under the budget cap, the potential damage costs could far exceed their provisions. The team has avoided major crashes on track thus far and hopes to maintain that and keep their financial integrity intact while leaving Baku.
Aston Martin will seek to avoid accidents and maintain their positive incline
Aston Martin is an unexpected contender at the front of the grid this season, leaping from only 7th fastest last year to now challenging the likes of Mercedes. They have shown consistently strong performances, along with good reliability. Their development throughout the races has been admirable, and they look to maintain that trajectory.
The announcement of a Sprint in Baku can be considered worrying for a team looking to carry forward momentum from their positive start. The expenditure that comes associated with repairing cars is extravagant, as highlighted by Haas’ troubles coping with them the previous year. Along with this, they risk exceeding the cost cap and enduring a penalty, as we witnessed with Red Bull. This could cause problems in future years, along with the reduced money to spend on research and development.
Large sums spent on repairs can come as a hindrance this early into the season, with the preference clearly being development and furthering their progress. The likes of Mercedes and Red Bull will be difficult to keep up with, and their resources should be going into their upgrades and improvements.
Aston Martin have stood on the podium at every race thus far, courtesy of superstar veteran Fernando Alonso. They sit second in the constructors’ standings with 65 points, ahead of the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari. The drivers will no doubt be mindful on track and ensure to display maximum awareness to prevent any unnecessary incidents that could cost the team any deviation from their current trajectory.
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Justin P Joy
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