Vettel on budget rules: 'Then consequences should follow'

Both Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel find the situation surrounding Red Bull Racing's possible exceeding of the budget cap a difficult issue to judge as an F1 driver. Both prefer to trust their team.

During the finalisation phase of the FIA's investigation into the 2021 spending reports of all F1 teams, it emerged that Red Bull may have exceeded the budget cap. There are serious consequences attached to exceeding the maximum budget. The outcome of the investigation was due to come on the Wednesday before the Japan GP at the earliest but has now been delayed until the Monday after the race at Suzuka.

Alonso and Vettel trust F1 teams and FIA

The situation is the talk of the day in the F1 world, though, and drivers' opinions are also being sought on the paddock in Japan. For example, Alonso told Sky Sports that the situation should be investigated very precisely and thoroughly: "It is a difficult subject from a driver's point of view. For us it is irrelevant and we trust our teams to have control over everything they do." Alonso hopes the FIA will keep a close eye on each team to ensure the sport remains as fair as possible. That is not an easy task, according to the Spaniard, as F1 teams have particularly large responsibilities.

Aston Martin driver Vettel agrees with the two-time world champion, saying, "We have the control over our racing and we know when we did well or when we made a mistake [...] The governance of the sport, in my opinion, has to ensure fairness between the teams, over the whole year, over the whole sport." In doing so, Vettel said that people should trust the FIA: "If you don't follow the rules, there should be consequences. It is a complex matter and we are not the best people to judge, but I think the trick is to make it as easy and simple as possible."