F1 News

That budget cap only means that we have to spend more money

"That budget cap only means that we have to spend more money"

19-06-2019 10:20

The budget cap for Formula 1 teams is well on its way. In 2021, the teams are only allowed to spend a maximum of 156 million. While that might hurt Mercedes and Ferrari, others struggle to spend that much already.

By looking at the budget cap small print, it's effects are minimalised. The cap doesn't cover travel costs or salaries. Cyril Abiteboul says Renault is already well below the 2021 limit.

"We are well below that ceiling. It is therefore certainly not a chance for us to save on costs, but rather an opportunity to invest more. We can go two ways: We are happy with the ceiling and stay well under it, or we find the connection with the top three with extra investments, which is only allowed to spend that at most. However, we have to have that discussion internally, because I cannot decide on my own," Cyril Abiteboul told Motorsport.

The question is more about what impact the cap will have on the bigger teams. "According to my sources, those teams spend an average of around 175 million, so they have to save something. However, it is not much. For us, twenty million is quite a lot, but for teams that throw money, it can't hurt to spend that money smarter," Abiteboul is critical of his competitors.

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