Last year’s delayed release of the FIA’s cost cap reports raised eyebrows across the Formula 1 paddock, sparking speculation about potential defaulters. Among the names that surfaced was Aston Martin, although the Silverstone-based team is understood not to be alone in this saga. Reports suggest that another F1 team may have committed a significant breach of the 2024 cost cap regulations.
The cost cap was first introduced in F1 in 2021, with last year’s cap originally set at $135 million. This figure was later adjusted for inflation by the FIA, adding an additional $30 million to the teams’ budget limits. However, this adjustment was not the sole source of headache for Aston Martin.
According to PlanetF1, the British outfit fell foul of a procedural breach related to their cost cap accounts. This breach reportedly occurred because the team failed to obtain the required auditor’s signature before the submission deadline, as the auditor was unavailable at the crucial time. Notably, this procedural breach does not come with a predefined fine or penalty; instead, any sanction will be decided by the FIA’s cost cap administration at a later date.
In the meantime, rumors persist of another F1 team breaching the cost cap in a potentially more serious manner. If these reports prove true, the penalty could be severe—perhaps similar to the major punishment Red Bull received in 2021. When approached for comment on these circulating rumors, the FIA stated to PlanetF1:
“The FIA’s Cost Cap Administration is in the process of finalising the review of the 2024 submissions from Teams and Power Unit Manufacturers, the result of which is expected to be communicated shortly.”
Aston Martin only recently joined the F1 grid in its current form, following the rebranding of the Racing Point outfit to the British manufacturer’s signature green in 2021. This raises the question: could this be the first time Aston Martin is found guilty of breaching the cost cap under its new identity?
The inaugural 2021 cost cap regulations marked a new era for F1, and two teams were caught violating the rules during that first year. While much of the attention was on Red Bull for overspending, Aston Martin also faced penalties for a procedural breach. Back then, the Milton Keynes-based Red Bull squad was fined $7 million and handed a 10% reduction in wind tunnel and CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) time—a penalty that didn’t significantly hamper their dominance over the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
Aston Martin, on the other hand, was fined $450,000 for their procedural breach and had to cover the costs incurred by the FIA’s Cost Cap Administration. As the FIA completes its review of the 2024 submissions, teams and fans alike await official confirmation and details regarding any further breaches and potential sanctions.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/f1/news-major-development-2024-f1-cost-cap-violation-aston-martin-one-team-hot-soup-reports
