19/07/2023
NEWS STORY
With the sanctions against Red Bull for breaching the budget cap in 2021 appearing to have had little effect on the Austrian team, moving forward the F1 boss wants to see offenders hit harder.
Having overspent by $1.8m, Red Bull was hit with a $7m fine and a 10% reduction in its wind-tunnel and CFD development time.
Ten races into the 2023 season, and with the Austrian outfit having won all ten races, F1 CEO, Stefano Domenicali admits that in future the sport will need to take a different approach.
"I would like the penalty to be sporting in case of infringement," he told Motorsport.com, "it is something we asked for very clearly.
"There are three regulations to be respected," he added, "sporting, technical and financial. Any infractions must be punished with sporting measures. You can't go in other directions."
Rivals, particularly Mercedes and Ferrari were incensed by the seeming leniency of Red Bull's punishment, even though the FIA had described the breach as "minor".
2022 being the first year in which an audit took place, albeit of the previous year's accounts, the sheer complexity of the teams' finances meant that the findings weren't made public until October. Domenicali is seeking a much quicker turnaround this year, especially if the sport is to avoid having suspected culprits tried and sentenced on social media.
"Control is in the hands of the FIA," he said. "Personally what I have asked is to anticipate as soon as possible the publication of the investigations made by the staff of the FIA.
"But I say this only because, in this way, it does not give rise to speculation and comments that are not good for anyone."