Lewis Hamilton's message to F1 bosses: Red Bull must not escape with 'slap on the wrist' for budget breach
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Updated 21/10/2022 at 07:16 GMT
As the F1 world waits to see what punishment is handed out to Red Bull, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has told the sport’s bosses to get tough with budget cap breaches or they “might as well not have a cost cap”. Speaking ahead of the United States Grand Prix, Hamilton said he had faith in FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and his team to “make the right decisions”.
Lewis Hamilton races a Top Gun fighter plane
Lewis Hamilton has told F1 bosses that Red Bull must not escape with a “slap on the wrist” for overspending if they want the sport’s budget cap to have any merit.
Red Bull were found to have committed a “minor” breach of the budget cap in the 2021 season, when they ended Mercedes’ stranglehold on the drivers’ championship.
The breach carries a range of potential sanctions, from a public reprimand to a points deduction. It is not thought Max Verstappen’s world title from last season is at stake.
Speaking ahead of the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, Hamilton urged the FIA, the sport’s governing body, to take action.
“I do think the sport needs to do something about this,” said Hamilton.
“Otherwise, if it’s quite relaxed, if they’re relaxed with these rules, then all the teams will just go over.
“And spending millions more and then only having a slap on the wrist is obviously not going to be great for the sport. They might as well not have a cost cap for the future.”
Verstappen won the 2021 drivers’ championship on the last lap of the final race in Abu Dhabi as Hamilton was controversially denied a record eighth crown. Verstappen won a second title at the Japanese Grand Prix last week.
McLaren boss Zak Brown has said Red Bull’s budget breach “constitutes cheating” and has called for the FIA to issue a “sporting penalty”, while Mercedes chief Toto Wolff has previously branded any excess spending a “heavyweight issue”.
Hamilton added that he had faith in FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem to deal with the rule breach.
“I do believe Mohammed and his team will make the right decisions. I have to believe that. I want to give them the benefit of the doubt," he said.
“I am just focused on doing the best job I can, and what they have done is done. I am looking forward, and looking at how I can win another world championship.”
Red Bull, along with Aston Martin, were also found to have committed a procedural breach – failing to fill in forms correctly. The FIA confirmed the other nine teams were under the 2021 $145m cost cap.
According to reports, Red Bull have already been offered a punishment by the FIA, which is said to include both financial and sporting sanctions.
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