F1 budget cap rules ‘need tightening up’ after Red Bull breach, says Martin Brundle

Red Bull were found guilty of a ‘minor financial breach’ but Brundle says the 5% overspend margin is too high

Martin Brundle insists F1’s budget cap rules need “tightening up” in the wake of Red Bull’s “minor financial breach” as revealed on Monday.

Red Bull, who have won last year’s and this year’s Drivers Championship with Max Verstappen, say they’re “surprised and disappointed” after the FIA found they were guilty of an overspend of the 2021 cost cap.

Their punishment is yet to be determined, with the options ranging from a fine to points deductions. Aston Martin were also found guilty of a procedural breach, as were Red Bull.

Yet Sky Sports pundit and ex-F1 driver Brundle believes the 5% overspend margin - when a breach goes from minor to major - is still too much and the rules need to be “rigid.”

“What seems crazy to me is that a minor breach can be up to 5% overspend on the cost cap at 7 million,” he said on Sky’s Any Driven Monday show.

“We know that’s a massive upgrade on a car, maybe even a B-spec for some teams. So that needs tightening up for starters, because what’s the point in having 140 million, whatever the number ends up being, and then having this five percent variance?

“So I’m assuming that the FIA will have to crack down hard on any minor breaches, but it looks like it could be a reprimand or a fine, will they want to revisit points, will it be manufacturers points or drivers points for 2021?”

“It needs tightening up because the other teams will be under pressure. The team boss will be saying ‘why didn’t you do this? Why don’t you overspend a bit and pay a fine or get a slap on the wrist and go a tenth or two faster?’ So we need clarity and it needs to be rigid and a five percent variance is way too much.”

Red Bull were found guilty of a ‘minor financial breach’ but Martin Brundle says the 5% overspend margin is too high (Getty Images)

Brundle added that it’s “thoroughly disappointing” that the FIA released the findings without not only the specific figure of Red Bull’s overspend but also the punishment, with the saga set to drag on as the 2022 season reaches its climax.

“It’s very disappointing that that information hasn’t been supplied,” he added.

“Remember we’re talking about the 2021 season, not this season, so quite why they haven’t been able to get together, now they know the details…

“Presumably there’s some squabbling going on behind the scenes to mitigate this and explain and come up with some reasoning, and it’s thoroughly disappointing that we’ve now had this announcement of what’s happened, but we don’t know the consequences.”

Brundle added that it’s “thoroughly disappointing” that the FIA did not release the figure of Red Bull’s overspend (Getty Images for Fox Sports)