Red Bull Formula 1 boss Christian Horner calls it “absolutely shocking” to have been linked to cheating in a letter from McLaren to the FIA regarding Red Bull’s ongoing budget cap dispute.
After the FIA’s analysis of teams’ 2021 budget cap submissions determined Red Bull had overspent by an unspecified amount, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown wrote to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.
He did not mention Red Bull by name but did reference that “one team was guilty of a minor overspend breach plus a procedural breach” and stated his belief this would “constitute cheating by offering a significant advantage across technical, sporting and financial regulations”.
Horner, sat beside Brown in Saturday’s FIA press conference at the United States Grand Prix, did not look at him as he addressed the McLaren letter in a stinging answer that slammed “fictitious allegations” and claimed the persecution of Red Bull has been such that children of team employees have been bullied because of it.
“Zak’s letter, which wasn’t copied to us – we’ve had sight of that letter and it’s tremendously disappointing for a fellow competitor to be accusing you of cheating,” Horner said.
“To accuse you of fraudulent activity is shocking. It’s absolutely shocking that another competitor, without the facts or any knowledge of the details, can be making that kind of accusation.
“We’ve been on trial because of public accusations since Singapore. The rhetoric of ‘cheats’, that we’ve had this enormous benefit.
“The numbers that have been put out in the media are miles out of reality. The damage that does to the brand, to our partners, to our drivers, to our workforce.
“In an age where mental health is prevalent, we’re seeing significant issues within our workforce, we’re getting kids that are being bullied in playgrounds who are employees’ children. That is not right. Through fictitious allegations from other teams.
“You cannot go around making that kind of allegation without any fact or substance.
“So, we absolutely are appalled at the behaviour of some of our competitors.”
Red Bull has so far contested the FIA’s interpretation of its budget cap submission.
There is a dispute over what should and should not be included in the cost cap figures and Red Bull maintains its submission, which was below the limit, followed the financial regulations correctly.
The FIA has proposed an Accepted Breach Agreement to Red Bull and there have been discussions between Horner and Ben Sulayem in Austin this weekend.
But to enter into that ABA, Red Bull needs to accept it committed a breach and whatever penalty the FIA has suggested.
The Race understands a fine, which would be exempt from a future budget cap submission, and a reduction in aerodynamic testing time was part of the original FIA proposal.
Brown’s letter called for a reduction in any offending team’s future cost cap limits and a 20% reduction in its CFD and windtunnel testing allowances.
However, cost cap reductions are not among the penalties allowed in an ABA – it would need Red Bull to refuse to enter the ABA and the case to go to the Cost Cap Adjudication Panel for that kind of punishment to be possible.
In response to Horner’s remarks and in defence of his letter, Brown said on Saturday: “My letter set out that if someone, a team, spends more than the cap, they’re going to get an advantage.
“The cap is a rule, no different to the technical rules in the sport. We’re not taking a view on whether they did or didn’t.
“[The idea was] ‘If someone has, here are the things that should be addressed’, no different than if a ride height is incorrect or a flexi-wing or whatever the case may be.
“I didn’t mention any teams, it was a general response. Now that we’re into the cost cap era, if someone breaches that, here’s what we think some of the ramifications are.
“I have no idea what the number is, I know none of the detail. If we had more money to spend, that would put us in a better light and performance – more people, more upgrades, whatever the case may be.
“We feel it’s a performance benefit if someone has spent more than the allocated cost cap.
“That is up to the FIA to determine whether they have or haven’t.”
Horner said Brown had a “convenient memory” of the letter the McLaren boss wrote.
“The 5% window is part of the regulations that needs to be looked at,” Horner said in reference to the ‘minor’ breach Red Bull has committed.
“The ranging suite of penalties is totally subjective and I think this is what is contributing to a concerted campaign for there to be a draconian penalty on Red Bull for what at the end of the day is in contention with the FIA for a couple of hundred thousand dollars.
“I’ll explain later why we have a different opinion within that submission of what our position was versus another.
“What has been tremendously disappointing throughout this whole process is the leakage that happened.
“We’re suddenly on trial and subjected to what is effectively abuse. Zak has a very convenient memory of the letter he wrote, accusing us of cheating and being fraudulent. It’s just not right. And this has to stop.”
