'Exceeding Red Bull budget cap due to Newey employment'

The FIA has concluded after investigating the spending reports of all F1 teams that Red Bull Racing has gone over the limit. Red Bull Racing says it knows nothing about it, but there seems to be ambiguity over the employment of top designer Adrian Newey.

That is what F1 expert and reporter Rick Winkelman suspected on Ziggo Racecafé. The FIA is currently still in conclave over what punishment will be handed out for the offence committed by Red Bull. According to Winkelman, there is still a disagreement between the FIA and the team over whether or not they violated the budget cap. It seems that Newey's employment plays a big part in the story.

Newey's tenure crucial

The cost ceiling set at $145 million last year covers a large part of F1 teams' operations, but salaries of some employees are not included. Thus, drivers' salaries and the salaries of the three highest-paid employees are outside the 'cap'. The ambiguity that currently exists, according to Winkelman, is whether Newey is employed by Red Bull or hired under his own company. It would make a big difference if Newey were not employed by Red Bull.

Winkelman: "It probably has to do with Adrian Newey. Newey is one of the three staff members [who earn the most] and the discussion is whether Newey is employed by Red Bull or hired through his own company. Red Bull says 'he is employed by us', so he is not in the 'budget cap' because he is in one of the three top earners. The FIA says 'no he's hired through his own company', so external, and then again he should be under the 'budget cap'."