We are only in the second race of 23 scheduled on the calendar and there is already the need to tackle very important issues for the stability of the championship that could not have started better with the Bahrain GP thanks to the start of the new era with effect single-seaters. soil.
Sakhir’s appointment confirmed that the single-seaters can be closer together without suffering a serious loss of downforce, although overtaking is not as simple as it might seem on paper. If from a technical point of view the indications seem positive, there are other aspects such as the financial one that create some concern.
Mohammed ben Sulayem, FIA President with Stefano Domenicali, Formula 1 President
Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
The topic was opened by F1 president and CEO, Stefano Domenicali, who in the interview with Motorsport.com had emphasized the Budget Cap …
“There are two open themes on this front. The first is that of control, because if the person who has to verify misses something, the whole system collapses. Today it is not enough to check only the technical front, but also a strict financial control is needed, and for this reason the International Federation is gearing up to be even more robust in its role as guarantor ”.
Then the manager from Imola touched on the hottest topic now …
“The second point relates to some variables that were difficult to predict at the time of the launch of the financial regulation. Inflation is going in an unpredictable direction, and transportation costs in recent weeks have also risen in a way that is difficult to predict. There will be discussions to find the right solutions, always keeping at the center the principle that everyone must be guaranteed the same availability ”.
The issue is deeply felt, especially by the top teams who have planned development of the single-seaters according to the expected economic availability of 140 million euros.
Inflation is galloping: according to ISTAT in February in Italy there was an increase of 0.9% on a monthly basis and of 5.7% on an annual basis (from + 4.8% in the previous month), a which had not been registered since November 1995.
Charles Leclerc and Mattia Binotto celebrate the victory in Bahrain
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto is also worried …
“Inflation is weighing on all of us and is limiting the possibilities for development. We will have to think between all the teams, the FIA and F1 to adjust the limit of the Budget Cap at least for the value of inflation to allow a little more space and freedom for development. As long as this is not done, we are all blocked by the Financial Regulation. We too, like Ferrari, are aware of this: we need to be able to adjust the value of inflation, but not too much “.
Obviously, the phenomenon spreads in a non-homogeneous way in the various economies and, in addition to reducing the purchasing power of the teams, it can also determine differences in the expenditure allowed by creating inequalities that can impact on the results on the track.
The issue is very delicate, because if the richer teams try to ride this very concrete argument to enlarge the budget caps, the smaller teams will try to maintain the status quo. If the value of inflation certified by ISTAT of 5.7% on an annual basis is considered valid, we are talking about an additional economic availability of almost 8 million euros. They are not really pints …
Ferrari mechanics at work in the garage
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
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