Brown writes letter to FIA: 'A fine alone is not enough'

Zak Brown views the FIA 's slow process with displeasure. Taking matters into his own hands, the McLaren team boss wrote a letter to the FIA, calling for quick clarification of the regulations. The American also recommends some changes to these regulations.

Brown sends letter to FIA

The FIA came out with the news after the Japan Grand Prix that Red Bull Racing had committed a minor infringement in terms of the budget cap. Aston Martin was also said to have not acted entirely according to the rules. Meanwhile, it has still not been released what the team's actual violation was and what the associated penalty will be. It bothers Brown that there is still so much uncertainty. BBC.com reports that the American has sent a letter to the FIA, which the media has seen.

BBC quotes from the letter: "Any team that has overspent has been given an unfair advantage in both the previous and current season. [The FIA must] communicate the subsequent consequences and penalties to preserve the integrity of F1." The letter was sent to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem on 12 October. A copy also went to F1 chief Stefano Domenicali. Red Bull, meanwhile, is also still keeping its jaws shut and awaiting the FIA's verdict. Indeed, the team would not comment on Brown's letter to BBC.

FIA must come up with clarity on situation

Brown does not mention Aston Martin and Red Bull by name in the letter and seems to want to focus mainly on the FIA's lack of openness. Secondly, a key issue for the McLaren boss is that penalties are properly applied. Brown sees major flaws in the current model, in which there is a distinction between a minor and a major offence (this limit is at five per cent over the total budget). According to Brown, this model makes it possible to go over the budget cap without too much consequence and thus gain big competitive advantages. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff also pointed out this flaw.

Brown therefore immediately proposed a rule change. According to Brown, there should not only be a fine, but also sporting sanctions. He envisages that teams that went over the limit should be allowed to spend less money in the following years. In addition, Brown argues that if a team commits a second minor breach of the budget cap, it should be punished immediately according to the guidelines of major breaches. Brown would also prefer to see the limit of minor breaches go down to 2.5 per cent instead of five per cent.