ABU DHABI — FIA president Mohamed Ben Sulayem says Components One’s governing physique is making adjustments to make sure penalties for breaching the game’s value cap are determined earlier within the yr.
The FIA introduced Crimson Bull had breached final yr’s $145 million value cap in early October earlier than issuing a penalty later in the identical month. Crimson Bull, which overspent by 1.6 %, was fined $7 million and can have a ten % discount in its aerodynamic testing allowance for 12 months.
A sporting penalty that affected the end result of final yr’s world championship at all times appeared unlikely in Crimson Bull’s case, however below the FIA’s laws one of many penalties for an overspend over 5 % is exclusion from the related yr’s championship.
In idea, due to this fact, the end result of a championship might nonetheless be unsure over 11 months after the ultimate race of a season if the method stays unchanged.
A part of the rationale the FIA took so lengthy to penalise Crimson Bull was that 2021 was the primary season run below the price range cap and a major quantity of auditing was required. Nonetheless, Ben Sulayem is assured the FIA can pace up the method subsequent yr.
“The one factor I might say is that what we did in September or October ought to have been completed earlier,” the FIA president stated. “Because it was the primary yr, we realized from it and we’re nonetheless studying. It is higher to do it in Could and never simply in October to do it.”
Ben Sulayem believes the FIA obtained the penalty proper regardless of strain from Crimson Bull’s rivals to subject a harsher punishment.
“I consider that there was a steadiness between the monetary and in addition the sporting penalties there, however we realized so much and a giant assessment goes into it,” he added. “As a result of is it the best way that we go, as a result of who is aware of within the first yr what goes be the end result?
“Some individuals, in case you have a look at the opposite groups, they’ll say we’ve been gentle on them with the penalty and a few of them need them to be hanged they usually need to see blood. So the place do you draw [the line]? We’ve got to be honest additionally — can we need to do away with them or do we wish them to straighten up and never do it [in the future]?”
He additionally denied accusations that the FIA’s interim secretary basic Shaila-Ann Rao, who joined the governing physique from Mercedes and was concerned within the investigation of Crimson Bull, was in any manner biased in her function or pushing for a harsher penalty.
“On the subject of Shaila-Ann there was an accusation within the information that she is a supporter of Mercedes,” he stated. “Truly, when the penalties have been there and each groups, she stated it was a bit harsh.
“I checked out her and stated ‘My god, and there’s somebody who’s accusing her of being with Mercedes and she or he is saying it [the penalty] is being harsh on Crimson Bull’.”
Ben Sulayem stated the FIA plans to bolster quite a few its F1 departments over the winter, together with the one which investigates breaches within the price range cap.
“The monetary laws have been the primary yr and policing it has been very laborious, which is why we’ve mentioned right now using three extra on the monetary [regulations] facet, three extra on the chassis and the PU,” he stated.
“So extra recruitment is coming forward. It isn’t solely concerning the technical regulation or the worldwide sporting code, however it is usually concerning the monetary and monitoring and policing. If you do not have the person energy and correct individuals to police it, what’s using having the laws?”