A class war threatens Formula 1: not even a third of the season is over, but the majority of the teams are already running out of money. Because compliance with the budget limit of 130 million euros poses enormous problems, especially for the large racing teams.
“None of the three top teams is currently within the budget limit,” reveals Red Bull Motorsport advisor Helmut Marko on the sidelines of the Spanish GP. In addition to Red Bull and B-Team AlphaTauri, Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren and above all Aston Martin are also affected.
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The reason: “The transport costs have risen by 60 percent in some cases, as have the material costs, and to an immense extent. That’s just the reality,” says Marko and explains: “There have already been talks about a certain inflation adjustment. First the pandemic, then the war, these are events that were not foreseeable and these rates of inflation and growth are not normal either.”
The doctor of law is therefore promoting a one-time exception in the 2022 season. “When normality returns, you will be able to act normally again within the budget limit,” says the Grazer.
Red Bull warns of missed races and even layoffs
But it is curious: while the top teams are currently spending every euro in order not to exceed the budget, the small racing teams of all people do not have this problem. Because many of them are already well below the cost cap due to lack of money. This threatens to turn the case into a political issue.
The problem: A suspension or inflation adjustment of the upper limit is only possible with the consent of all teams: Alfa Romeo, Alpine, Haas and Williams do not want to get involved. They fear for equal opportunities and ensure that the top teams only use the money to continue the arms race in the fight for the World Cup. And so continue to rush, although the little ones – admittedly out of necessity – have kept to the agreed rules.
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Alfa Romeo team boss Fred Vasseur therefore scoffs at the cry for more money: “The teams that don’t have much room for improvement can easily react to it. They just have to turn off their wind tunnel and build fewer new parts. ” Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer is also urging the competition to save the missing money through development budgets: “If we can do it, the others have to do it too,” says Szafnauer.
Red Bull doesn’t want to be satisfied with that. Team boss Christian Horner paints the devil on the wall: “Then seven teams will probably have to skip the last four races just to meet the budget limit,” criticizes the Briton and even warns of layoffs among the workforce if costs have to be compulsively reduced.
Alfa Romeo team boss Fred Vasseur can only laugh at the big ones
It is still unclear how Formula 1 will react to the impending dispute between small and large. Recently, however, the marketer has already accommodated the racing teams by not holding a replacement race for the canceled Russian GP in September. Another Grand Prix would have meant more expenses for the teams.
Calendar reform 2023 for more efficiency
With a view to the future, the premier class is also striving to use resources more efficiently: the race calendar is finally to be adjusted for 2023 in order to avoid unnecessary flight routes. The new race in Miami, for example, is to take place in a double pack with the Canadian GP in Montreal, while Baku is to form a chain of travel with the Asian events. Middle East races are also set to rise in pairs, two at the start of the season and two at the end.
F1 boss Stefano Domenicali informed the team bosses on Sunday morning in Barcelona about the strategic realignment. While F1 marketer Liberty Media hopes that the restructuring will above all mean finding space for more races on the calendar, all teams should at least for once agree on these cost-cutting measures: Because next season, according to the agreement, the budget limit will be increased again by 4 .5 million screwed down.
Formula 1 on TV
In 2022, Formula 1 will run on Sky. Last year, the broadcaster introduced a new TV channel especially for the premier class: Sky Formula 1. Here there is motorsport 24 hours a day. All practice sessions, all qualifying sessions, all races are always live and without commercial breaks. In addition, Sky also broadcasts the support races Formula 2, Formula 3 and the Porsche Supercup. Historical races and special programs are also on the programme.
