F1: FIA delays Budget Cap announcement, calls rumors baseless (Update)

(GMM) F1’s governing body has slammed the latest “baseless” speculation about Red Bull’s alleged breach of the 2021 budget cap.

The Formula 1 world had been holding out for Wednesday’s scheduled release of the certificates confirming that teams had complied with the cap.

That has now been delayed until the day after the Japanese GP.

“The FIA also reiterates that any suggestion that FIA personnel have disclosed sensitive information is equally baseless,” the FIA insisted in a statement.

It could be that the FIA, perhaps in collaboration with the commercial rights holder Liberty Media, concluded that Max Verstappen’s potential title win on Sunday should not be overly clouded by the budget cap saga.

Another possibility is that Red Bull applied pressure so that the home race of its ever-closer power unit partner could go ahead without controversy at Honda-owned Suzuka.

With everyone in the Suzuka paddock waiting on edge for the FIA certifications on 2021 F1 Budget Cap compliance, the FIA released the following statement today:

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.

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 finalized, no further information will be provided. The FIA also reiterates that any suggestion that FIA personnel have disclosed sensitive information is equally baseless.

If the FIA is to be believed that no Toto Wolff mole in the FIA disclosed any audit information, Toto Wolff and others making statements about Red Bull breaching the budget cap in Singapore last weekend, were lying through their teeth.