Binotto Hoping for Transparency over FIA’s Delays of Budget Cap Findings

Mattia Binotto, the Team Principal of Scuderia Ferrari, is hoping for both clarity and transparency from the FIA over why there was delay in publishing their findings when it came to the cost cap from the 2021 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season.

Rumours around the Formula 1 paddock were rife surrounding possible breaches of the cost cap, with both Oracle Red Bull Racing and the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team thought to be the most likely to have exceeded the maximum $145 million budget allowed across the year.

Initially, the FIA were to publish their findings this past Wednesday ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix weekend, but an announcement saw it delayed until Monday, and Binotto hopes the FIA are completely transparent about their findings and decision to delay releasing them.

“There are points which the FIA is contesting and the team is trying to defend itself,” said Binotto to Sky Italia.

“Regardless of what comes out, and I fear it will be snow melting in the sun, I think all these decisions, how they have interpreted the regulations, what they have granted – because they will certainly have granted something – it all comes out clearly and transparently.”

Binotto says the rules had been clearly set out ahead of the 2021 season so there was no reason why any team should be disputing those regulations, but he does have some pessimism that there may be some leeway given due to it being the first year of the budget cap.

“The rules were clear from the beginning, they were discussed,” Binotto added.  “We don’t understand the need to have to change them today beyond the fact that this is the first year with the budget cap.

“Because with the FIA, there have always been constant exchanges and we have always tried to clarify them.  I am a bit pessimistic about this, but first of all, clarity and transparency from the FIA will be important.”