Red Bull backed: 'Dinner is cheaper than providing your own food'

Jost Capito takes issue with Red Bull Racing. The team certainly deserves a penalty for exceeding the budget cap, according to the Williams team boss, but the budget cap rules themselves are also unclear.

The budget cap saga is over and Red Bull Racing knows where it stands. For exceeding the budget cap in 2021, it was fined seven million dollars and, in addition, it is giving up 10 per cent of wind tunnel time, in 2023. Capito agrees with the penalty for Red Bull, also because it is a first season.

Red Bull gets support

The Williams team boss argues to Sky Sports that it was difficult for all teams in the first season. This should therefore be factored into the penalty. Capito himself states that he was in contact with the FIA throughout 2021 to get things clarified. It took the German a lot of time, but through this he was sure that his team stayed within the budget cap.

Indeed, there appear to be some things unclear and vague in the rules. For instance, Capito reveals that a dinner for team members within the company falls under the budget cap, but eating out with the whole team at a restaurant does not. This is, of course, an unusual structure, because then large teams would rather go out to a restaurant than serve team members their own food in the factory, while the latter is much cheaper.

Thus, there are more things within the budget cap that Capito believes should be looked at. The first season has been a good test in that respect. F1 teams now know where they stand. They now know better what does and does not fall within it and have seen what the consequences are if you don't follow the rules. By continuing to evaluate this, F1 hopes to make progress.