F1: Little teams have too much say

Red Bull boss Christian Horner feels that the smaller teams have too big a voice in F1 and that is counterproductive to the bigger teams.

Liberty Media has pulled off a major coup in getting the F1 teams to agree to a cost cap system. The cost cap, in essence, will lead to a more equitable money spend in F1 and that, in theory, should bring the teams closer together in terms of performance over time. More drivers with a chance at victory = more fans and more sponsors for F1.

However, there are certain elements of the cost cap regulations that need to be looked at Horner feels, and the small teams open their mouth on things that do not affect them.

Speaking about the budget cap and the bigger voice for the smaller teams because of this, Horner told RacingNews365 that there might be a need to take a look at that aspect. He said:

“One could argue the little teams have too great a voice on implementing a significant rule that can effect the top teams, with things that that quite simply don’t affect them. Particularly through the budget cap, I think that’s where the FIA and the promoter really need to look at.”

“Just as a simplistic argument, technology partnerships and F1 have always been hugely important. But when certain technology comes into a budget cap from say, for example, a computer sponsor who wants to give you a new laptop, you might not need the new laptop, but the sponsor wants it to showcase their product. However, when that product then comes under the budget cap and you have to turn it down, that’s when there’s areas that we can improve so as not to dissuade technology companies coming into F1.”

“I think it’s a very, very complicated set of regulations. And of course, they will evolve. What I would like to see is less pressure beyond the cap moving forward. Your biggest drivers of costs are the technical and the sporting regs. If we put more emphasis into what those costs and how those costs are driven, by those regulations, it will in turn put less stress on the cap.”