Haas team principal Gunther Steiner believes that there needs to be more of a deterrent to prevent a repeat from any team.
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Guenther Steiner is staunchly on the side of those who believe Red Bull has not been sufficiently punished for their budget-cap breach. Red Bull agreed to an ‘accepted breach agreement’ for a minor overspend breach’ of the 2021 budget cap of $2.2 million, minus mitigating factors such as an unclaimed tax credit, which reduced the figure to just over $430,000. The penalty was a $7 million fine and a 10% reduction in their wind tunnel and CFD quota for a year.
The penalty was met with mixed reactions from rival teams and Red Bull. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner called it “draconian,” while Alpine’s Otmar Szafnauer called it “fair” and “fitting for the crime.” McLaren CEO Zak Brown, on the other hand, stated that teams that “wilfully break the rules” should face “stronger sanctions” in the future.
Without saying it quite so forcefully, Haas team principal Guenther Steiner agreed with Brown that there needs to be more of a deterrent to prevent a repeat from any team – because he does not believe Red Bull will be “hurt” by this one because the fine is not deducted from the team’s budget. “Seven million dollars is a lot of money but it doesn’t hurt them. Now if they [the FIA] had said they could spend five million dollars less than the rest of the teams next year, a sanction would have really damaged the development of the car.” Expressed Steiner.
Because the fine does not have to be incorporated into or deducted from their budget, Red Bull can continue to spend the same as everyone else, according to Steiner. “There are then opportunities to continue working on something else. Development is not at a standstill. It’s just moved to another area of the car. You can work on the weight, for example. So much is possible with that money. For example, if they had said ‘next year you have five million dollars less in the budget cap – I’m just naming a number now, I don’t want to stick to it – than all the other teams’.” Said the Haas Boss
In the same interview, Steiner was asked about Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who has just set a new record for the most race wins in a single F1 season with 14 – and, of course, has retained his Drivers’ World Championship. “Every period had its champion. In this period, it is Max. Max has the talent, the drive and is unapproachable at the moment. To become champion you need that little bit extra, a certain coolness and a piece of luck. Verstappen is currently in a flow and wants to keep it.” Exclaimed the Italian.
