Red Bull Content Pool

General

Verstappen and Red Bull turn against salary cap: Total idiocy

Verstappen and Red Bull turn against salary cap: "Total idiocy"

28-05-2022 07:52 Last update: 09:35
8

GPblog.com

Since last season there has been a budget ceiling in Formula 1, but there are now serious plans to include drivers' salaries in it to reduce the costs for the teams even further. Max Verstappen's camp has reacted with dismay to the plans, according to manager Raymond Vermeulen. Verstappen feels supported by his own employer Red Bull Racing.

Currently, the salaries of drivers and the three highest paid people in management do not fall under the budget ceiling in Formula 1, but that may soon be a thing of the past. According to De Telgraaf the idea has recently been revived by several team bosses.

In Barcelona, during a meeting of the drivers' union GPDA, the idea was even discussed of introducing a 'salary allowance' of a maximum of 30 million dollars per year per team. That idea seems to have little chance of success anyway, because Verstappen for example already earns considerably more than that amount on his own.

Astonishment at Verstappen camp

"Total idiocy," said Vermeulen, who always does the negotiations with Red Bull for Verstappen. "Drivers increase the value of a team. That may be exploited to infinity by the team in question. But then you would give the person from whom you buy that value, the driver, an allowance or a cap. That's the world upside down."

According to the manager of the reigning world champion, Red Bull has backed its Dutch driver. In any case, a proposal is never going to be supported by the Austrian formation. To be continued, no doubt...