Brawn on budget cap: "Now we have to take a stand"

While Formula 1 is waiting for the start of the season, money is an important topic. Ross Brawn thinks it's important that the sport looks beyond the budget cap set for next year.

Budget cap

Next year's budget cap has a long list of exclusions: the drivers' salaries and the three best employees of the team, the development and production of the bikes, marketing, bonuses, super licenses and entrance fees to the World Championship are all included.

The budget cap was initially set at $175 million, but has since been reduced to $150 million. Some teams, including McLaren, want to lower it even further. This has led to discussions about a double limit.

Right time

Ross Brawn believes that this is the right time for F1 to reduce spending. “Perhaps this is a time for a reset”, he says to Sky Sports. “And a time to say that in the good times F1 operated at a certain level, but now’s the time to take a view on that and decide if we need a re-set in terms of the costs and investments that are needed for F1."

“I think when we introduced the budget control there was always the anticipation that if we had a crisis, we could turn the dial down", continues the sports boss of Formula 1.

“There’s too big a void between the front three, it’s three teams really that enjoy a high level of budget, and the rest who are trying to make a model work which is sustainable”, ends Brawn.