Formula 1 cost cap Q&A: What Red Bull are accused of, what’s next, and how the FIA could punish team

So, Verstappen’s 2021 title is in doubt?

It’s incredibly unlikely. While a deduction of championship points is one of the penalties listed above – and Max Verstappen’s already contentious advantage of only eight points over Lewis Hamilton last year means any meaningful points penalty would put his title at risk – that punishment was only really on the table if Red Bull had committed a ‘material’ breach, going over five per cent, as their rivals suspected.

For the minor offence, a fine or a public reprimand have been mooted so far, although a limit on testing or a reduction of a future cap could have more significant consequences down the road.

How have Red Bull responded?

Red Bull have staunchly protested their innocence over the last few weeks and that continued after the FIA’s verdict.

The team said they noted the findings “with surprise and disappointment”, insisting they have complied.

“Our 2021 submission was below the cost cap limit, so we need to carefully review the FIA’s findings as our belief remains that the relevant costs are under the 2021 cost cap amount,” they added.

What are their options? Can they contest?

Red Bull’s first move is to ponder an accepted breach agreement, although while that would mean a milder punishment and could not be appealed, it would also require an acceptance of wrongdoing from the team.

Their stance so far has hinted they are not willing to do that.

“Despite the conjecture and positioning of others, there is of course a process under the regulations with the FIA which we will respectfully follow while we consider all the options available to us,” said the team on Monday night.

If Red Bull cannot prove their numbers were correct, do not enter an accepted breach agreement, and are handed a punishment by the cost cap panel, they can appeal to the FIA’s International Court of Appeals. If that fails, they could even escalate it further than that.

Can other teams protest?

No. The formal complaints of the cost cap submissions – which were back in March – could only be raised by other teams between January 1 and April 30 of this year.

Crucially, no complaints were made by teams by that April date, so while Mercedes and Ferrari in particular have raised concerns publicly about Red Bull’s overspend, they did not do so to the FIA.

A team can also not protest another team’s certification.

When will the punishment be revealed?

It has been over 300 days since last season’s championship was decided and more than half a year since these numbers were first submitted, so the FIA is likely to want to get this settled as quickly as possible.

The speed of a resolution, however, likely depends on how hard Red Bull fight their corner.

If there is an accepted breach agreement, it could be quick and there would be no appeals. If not, this may drag on.

What are the implications for the future?

This is a big moment for the FIA as it looks to lay down the law on the new cost cap.

If Red Bull continue to be found guilty but get a mild punishment, rival teams will likely be up in arms and the integrity of the budget cap in future years is at risk.