Bottas: Red Bull’s cost cap penalty 'should really hurt’

F1

Valtteri Bottas, Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton have all said the FIA needs to be firm in its punishment of any cost cap breach to discourage overspending

2022-Alfa-Romeo-F1-driver-Valtteri-Bottas

Bottas wants "harsh" penalty for any cost cap wrongdoing

Sauber

Several F1 drivers have spoken out on the ongoing Red Bull cost cap breach row, with Valtteri Bottas saying that penalty applied “should really hurt” and Lewis Hamilton stressing “the sport needs to do something.”

After rumours emerged that Milton Keynes had gone over the $145m limit set last year, Red Bull vociferously denied it had committed any wrongdoing.

The FIA has since confirmed that the team did actually make a “minor” breach of the budget, with some calling for serious repercussions for an outfit which could clinch the 2022 constructors’ championship this weekend.

Whilst the governing body has said an “accepted breach agreement” had been offered – which could include financial penalties but not a points deduction – drivers have now given their view on what should be done.

Lewis Hamilton in sunglasses ahead of the 2022 Miami Grand Prix

Hamilton says FIA needs to show cost cap breach is a serious matter

Mario Renzi/F1 via Getty Images

“I feel like rules are the rules and if you don’t follow them, there should be a penalty that really hurts,” said Bottas, whose team-mate Hamilton lost out to Max Verstappen in the 2022 title fight.

“You don’t want to anyone to have the appetite to maximise something for one year and risk it with a budget cap.

“I personally hope that it’s going to be a strict and harsh penalty, because that shouldn’t happen.

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“Let’s hope that it’s a good penalty that really hurts them because in the fight last year, the constructors’ – we got that – but we missed the drivers’ title by a few points, and a few millions can a make big, big difference.”

Whilst Red Bull has said it will “carefully review the FIA’s findings”, it has not confirmed whether it would challenge verdict from the governing body. The team is set to hold a press conference tomorrow to discuss the matter.

However, the sentiment expressed by Bottas is shared by many in the paddock, and Sainz concurred with the Finn that the main desire for action comes from a want for a level playing feel.

“I think every team and every driver, we just want clarity first of all and second fairness,” said the Spaniard.

“We all know how much difference millions can make” Carlos Sainz

“We all know how much difference millions can make to car development and car speed in F1.

“That’s why years ago everyone was spending $350 million, or the top three teams were spending that, and now we’re spending $150m to keep these things under control.

“I just hope that if there’s a penalty, it is relatively important to take the appetite away from overspending two or three million to waste on next year’s car, because you think next year’s car is worth more than the other year and then you take a penalty for it.

“I just think it needs to be fair play for everyone, and if there’s a cost cap, it’s there to be followed and I hope that the FIA takes the right decisions to make sure that everyone follows them.”

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, also present at the press conference, countered that recent accusations were endemic of a typical F1 reaction from teams which had fallen behind.

“At the end of the day, there’s always teams that want to take performance out of you, especially when you are winning,” said the Mexican.

“So it’s part of the sport and this has been forever. At the end of the day facts will come out and people will see and understand the situation.”

Hamilton refused to be drawn on suggesting a punishment, but did give a view on the wider situation.

“I think it’s the integrity of the sport is, right now, where the decisions hopefully will be made – I do think that sport needs to do something about this.

“In the future otherwise if it’s quite relaxed with these rules, then all the teams would just go over and spend millions more – only having a slap on the wrist is obviously not gonna be great for the sport. They might as well not have a cost cap in the future.”

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