“There’s a shadow hanging over it”: David Croft dismisses Red Bull’s claim that cost cap breach did not enhance their performance
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The Formula 1 2022 season might have gotten over a few weeks ago, but the drama that it has left in its wake is still very much alive and thriving amidst the F1 community. The biggest headlines in this year’s Championship campaign included the shocking news that Red Bull had gone over the cost cap that was implemented by the FIA in 2021. The reports of an FIA audit revealed the fact of Red Bull’s misdeeds and all the rival teams weight in on Max Verstappen‘s controversial 2021 title win after the audit results were made public.
While the FIA did hold Red Bull responsible for crossing the pre-determined expenditure ceiling, the Austrian team had to pay a hefty fee as penalty and Max Verstappen’s Championship title was left untouched, much to the disappointment of many critics. But every team member at Red Bull maintained their stance throughout the entire trial that the team’s overexpenditure had nothing to do with their 2021 performance.
Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner clarified that his team did not overspend on enhancing their cars’ performances, so Max Verstappen had won the Championship with his own mettle and not because Red Bull broke the FIA’s rules. But now, F1 commentator David Croft is saying that it is not possible that the team did not enjoy the slightest advantage due to their overexpenditure.
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David Croft defends Max Verstappen while attacking Red Bull for bending the rules of the FIA
While the FIA audit was going on, it was discovered that Red Bull’s overexpenditure amounted to half a million pounds, and they were going to suffer some huge penalties for their cost cap breach. The rivals of the Austrian team said that Max Verstappen’s title should be forfeited since Red Bull must have added some extra features to their car using the extra money that they had spent. David Croft believes this theory. He said, “There’s a shadow hanging over it. It is a shame for Max Verstappen because it’s not Max’s fault that the team have gone out and overspent by £432k.“
“However Red Bull say there was no benefit, there has to be a benefit because they were the only team that spent more than the cost cap allowed.”
But Max Verstappen has won the 2022 World Championship without much of a fight from his rivals, and this only proves that he is worthy of his title, no matter what wrongdoings his team had indulged in. Now, the upcoming season will bring more chances for the Dutchman to get a Championship title hat-trick. And it only remains to be seen how Verstappen seizes the opportunity to score another top-tier finish next year.
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Riddhi Mondal
(1821 Articles Published)