‘The overspend breach constitutes cheating’: Zak Brown writes to the FIA demanding a severe penalty for Red Bull budget cap breach


‘The overspend breach constitutes cheating’: Zak Brown writes to the FIA demanding a severe penalty for Red Bull budget cap breach

McLaren CEO Zak Brown

Zak Brown finally comes out to speak about the breached cap by Red Bull. Red Bull has been caught up by the FIA for allegedly breaching the cost cap in 2021. Mercedes and Ferrari have already been lobbying for a severe penalty. Lando Norris has demanded one as well, in which he is now joined by his team’s CEO.

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As per BBC, Brown did not hold back his thoughts in a letter to the FIA, calling the cost cap breach as ‘cheating’: “Any team who have overspent have gained an unfair advantage both in the current and following year’s car development. The overspend breach, and possibly the procedural breaches, constitute cheating by offering a significant advantage across technical, sporting and financial regulations.”

Brown explained how a cost cap breach of two million could have a major impact on the championship: “For context, $2m is (a) 25-50% upgrade to (an) annual car-development budget and hence would have a significant positive and long-lasting benefit. In addition, we believe there should be minor overspend sporting penalties of a 20% reduction in CFD and wind tunnel time. These should be enforced in the following year, to mitigate against the unfair advantage the team has and will continue to benefit from.”

Also Read: ‘We need to give him time’: Zak Brown discusses McLaren’s expectations from Oscar Piastri for 2023

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Zak Brown suggested changes to the current rules

Mclaren CEO Zak Brown
Mclaren CEO Zak Brown

Red Bull may escape with a light punishment, such as a financial fine or a reduction in the budget for next year. This has not gone down well in the paddock, and not with a lot of fans either. The rumour that the overspend (in the region of 1-2 million) was in the catering and the employee absence departments has just added to the ridiculousness of the situation.

What does Zak Brown suggest as a change to the rule, to discourage teams further? “To avoid teams accumulating and benefiting from the multiplier effect of several minor overspend breaches, we suggest that a second minor overspend breach automatically moves the team to a major breach.”

“Finally, given the financials involved, a 5% threshold for a minor overspend breach seems far too large of a variance. We suggest a lower threshold, 2.5%, is more appropriate. It is therefore critical that we be very firm on implementing the rules of the cost cap for the integrity and the future of F1,” he concluded.

As for their own 2022, McLaren currently is in a lot of trouble with a not-so-competitive car to fight around. Their fight went down from Ferrari to Alpine, from third to fourth position in the championship, and they aren’t being helped by Daniel Ricciardo’s generally dismal form, something which has lost him his seat.

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Also Read: ‘More than we expected in a budget cap situation’: Carlos Sainz questions Red Bull’s ‘incredibly fast’ car development

Also Read: “We weren’t getting the results,” Zak Brown opens up on ‘hated’ situation of Daniel Ricciardo’s exit from McLaren