Ex-Formula 1 star Hans-Joachim Stuck suspects Red Bull will not feel the effects of their penalties for exceeding the 2021 budget cap next year because they’re already ‘so far ahead’ in planning for the 2023 season. The penalties were handed out by the FIA last week, with Christian Horner’s team fined £6.2 million, and deducted 10 per cent of their wind tunnel time.
Whilst the fine is only expected to brush the surfaces of Red Bull’s finances, the wind tunnel sanction is set to have a much bigger effect on the recently crowned constructors’ champions. As a result, team principal Horner believes it could well cost his team ‘up to half a second per lap’ going forward.
Addressing the punishment the Englishman said last week: “I’ve heard people reporting today it [penalty] is an insignificant amount. Let me tell you now that [it] is an enormous amount that represents anywhere between a quarter and half second’s worth of lap time…
“We accept the penalty, albeit reluctantly. I think there is a lesson for everyone here and we should continue to work together because the budget cap is an important part of Formula 1.
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