Pressure on FIA mounts: 'Red Bull Racing must receive sporting penalty'

The Formula 1 world is still waiting for the outcome of the budget cap talks between the FIA and Red Bull Racing. Alfa Romeo team boss Fred Vasseur believes the team deserves both a financial and sporting penalty for the offence.

After the Japanese Grand Prix, it was announced that Red Bull had exceeded the 2021 budget cap. This was a minor breach of less than five per cent. Last weekend in Austin, Christian Horner was in talks with the FIA to reach a deal on the penalty Red Bull will receive. The team itself believes it has stayed within the budget cap.

Following the death of Red Bull boss Dietrich Mateschitz, the team informed that talks have been suspended until further notice. Red Bull would continue talks with the FIA in the middle of this week. More news is expected ahead of the Mexico Grand Prix.

Rumours suggest Red Bull would face a fine and less time in the wind tunnel in 2023. Vasseur hopes it will not just be a financial penalty. The team boss believes Red Bull also deserves a sporting penalty. This could include less time in the wind tunnel, but also deduction of championship points.

"This is crucial for F1 and for the future of the cost cap and now it is in the hands of the FIA to find the right level of punishment. But for me, it has to be a sporting [penalty] because, at the end of the day, it is a sporting infringement", Vasseur is quoted by Express.

Other team bosses also have a clear opinion on Red Bull's breach of the budget cap. Zak Brown, for instance, wrote an open letter to the FIA calling for a hefty penalty to be handed out to teams that exceed the budget cap. Horner lashed out harshly at the McLaren CEO during the press conference in Austin.