FIA delays F1 budget cap verdicts to Monday

The FIA will not release the findings of its audit into Formula One’s 2021 budget cap spending until Monday.

Last year’s cap has become the biggest talking point in the sport, with rumours Red Bull and Aston Martin overspent the $140 million limit last year gaining traction in the build-up to the Singapore Grand Prix.

The FIA had been due to issue certificates of compliance to the teams who did adhere to the budget cap on Wednesday, but they have pushed back that deadline due to the complexity of the audit.

It means the controversy will linger into this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.

If it is found that a team did overspend last year, the FIA will then enter a process to determine a sanction, which could range from a financial penalty to, in the most extreme cases, exclusion or suspension from the world championship.

As the budget cap was introduced last year this would be unprecedented territory for the FIA in terms of handing out a penalty.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won the championship last year and can wrap up his second title at Suzuka this weekend.

A statement released on Wednesday said: “The FIA informs that the conclusion of the analysis of the 2021 financial submissions of the Formula 1 teams and the subsequent release of Certificates of Compliance to the Financial Regulations will not take place on Wednesday, 5 October.

“The analysis of financial submissions is a long and complex process that is ongoing and will be concluded to enable the release of the Certificates on Monday, 10 October. The Financial Regulations were agreed unanimously by all Competitors, who have worked positively and collaboratively with the FIA Cost Cap Administration throughout this first year under the Financial Regulations.”

The FIA also moved to clarify that members of other teams should not have any knowledge of rival teams’ audits — Mercedes boss Toto Wolff angered Red Bull’s Christian Horner when he suggested it was an “open secret” one team significantly overspent last year.

“As previously communicated, there has been significant and unsubstantiated speculation and conjecture in relation to this matter, and the FIA reiterates that until it is finalised, no further information will be provided. The FIA also reiterates that any suggestion that FIA personnel have disclosed sensitive information is equally baseless.”