F1: Series set for talks over engine performance, budget caps

(GMM) Budget caps and struggling engines will be on the agenda at the next meeting of the Formula 1 Commission set for Monday (today).

Auto Motor und Sport claims that “comparative measurements” have shown that Renault, owner and engine supplier to the Alpine team, is “at least” 30 horsepower behind Honda, Mercedes and Ferrari.

Renault would like some leeway in the engine performance freeze to catch up.

Christian Horner, whose Red Bull team struggled for years with underpowered Renault engines, thinks Formula 1 should be receptive to the idea.

“If there’s a clear deficit under homologation, it’s something we should be sensible about,” he said at the Hungaroring.

“Otherwise they’re locked in for two more years.”

Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer welcomed Horner’s support but says there is already an agreement that if a manufacturer falls 1 percent behind in real terms, “good faith discussions” about the freeze will take place.

Those talks will begin at the next F1 Commission meeting, where the budget cap is also certain to be on the agenda.

L’Equipe claims that Red Bull and Mercedes are at risk of having breached the cap last year, although Aston Martin could have committed an even more serious spending infraction.

Also under scrutiny is Dr Helmut Marko’s salary at Red Bull, which is reportedly not included in the team’s budget cap exceptions for the three most highly paid staff.

The FIA is doing what it can to keep the speculation in check for now.

“We would like to reiterate that the process leading up to the certification of teams is ongoing,” a spokesperson said. “None of the teams have been informed of their certification status.”

F1’s governing body added that the process should be completed “in the coming weeks”, adding that speculation about violations is “completely groundless”.

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There’s no specific deadline “in order not to prejudice the robustness and the effectiveness of the review”.

“There is not, and has never been, a specific deadline for certification, and any suggestions of delays to this process or potential breaches are completely unfounded,” the FIA statement added.

“The Cost Cap Administration will formally communicate its findings according to the procedure set out in the Financial Regulations. The timeframe is intentionally not fixed in order not to prejudice the robustness and the effectiveness of the review.”

Monday Meeting Agenda

– Engine Equalization at Alpine’s request
– Tires for 2024 – ban blankets or not
– Gearbox Rules – standardize them?
– Financial Rules -Capex Raise to help smaller teams
– Sprint Weekends – Dates & Format for 2024

The subject of extra ‘capex’ headroom within the FIA financial regulations have emerged in recent months as a way of attempting to level the playing field, and thus any decision could have a significant impact on grand prix racing in future years.

Over the Budapest weekend, a new idea emerged that will see the specific requirements of teams examined and approved by the FIA on a case-by-case basis, rather than giving all teams the same opportunity to spend more.

Capex items would include infrastructure things like a new factory building, wind tunnels, simulators, gearbox dynos and rigs.

The current upper limit of $36 million over four years is to be increased to give teams with outdated infrastructure the chance to buy new tools and catch up with the others. Two options are on offer: $50 million or $80 million.