After a day of rapid developments in the Singapore Grand Prix paddock, as speculation focused that Aston Martin and Red Bull had potentially missed the 2021 cost cap limit, Wolff said no. not hesitate to say how serious the matter was.
After Red Bull team boss Christian Horner indicated earlier today that his team’s bid for the 2021 cap was below the limit of around $145m, Wolff said it went against what senior paddock officials had learned.
“It’s funny Christian would say that because they’ve been under investigation for weeks and months, so maybe he’s not talking to his CFO,” Wolff told Sky F1.
“In fact, we have all been diligently investigated. And as far as we understand, there’s a minor infraction team, which is more procedural, and another team that’s basically massively over and still supported. So it’s an open secret in the paddock.
Wolff said the issue of a cost cap breach was not something that should be dismissed as his team had sacrificed car performance and had to lose staff to ensure they were within the limit in place. He felt that it would be unfair for any overspending to be treated with leniency.
“He’s a heavyweight, he’s massively a heavyweight,” he said of it. “We use used parts. We don’t do what we want to do; we don’t develop what we could develop.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB18
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
“We have made over 40 people who we miss very much in our organization, and it was a huge, gigantic project to turn the corner.
“I don’t know how many tens of millions we had to restructure and restate to be under the cap. And if someone didn’t, or pushed the envelope, every million [you don’t spend] is a huge disadvantage.
While the current issue concerns 2021 campaign spending, with the FIA saying compliance certificates will be issued next week, Wolff believes the implications are huge.
He says if Red Bull overspent last year, it could reap the benefits this year and into 2023.
“The crucial part is if you made it through 2021, then you made it through 22,” he said. “That means you have an advantage in ’23.
“If it is true that they have [Red Bull] homologated the lightweight chassis this year, they could use it next year. So it’s really a cascade of events that can have an influence on the three championships.
