F1 | Part time staff to stay within the budget cap: no more clever things

In recent years several Formula 1 teams have transformed into multi-purpose centers. Suddenly it was discovered that the engineers' wealth of knowledge can be exploited in other areas, ranging from hi-tech boats to parallel programs in the world of endurance, from carbon bicycles to consultancy in the most disparate branches. When something catches on in such a short time there is always something suspicious.

One of the limits of the current 'cost-cap' regulation concerns the control of costs relating to personnel, one of the most significant items in the sum of expenses which must not exceed the budget limit (in a championship with 24 Grands Prix and six sprint weekends is approximately 143 million dollars).

For some time there has been discontent from various teams regarding personnel management, deemed too unscrupulous thanks to a flaw in the current financial regulation. If a team uses one of its engineers in sharing with other programs, i.e. those listed above, it is only the number of hours dedicated to the Formula 1 program that weighs on the costs that fall within the budget cap.

Theoretically it is impeccable, but in reality the rule clashes with the inability of the FIA's financial department to be able to precisely verify the veracity of the declarations presented by the teams.
“There are teams that have suddenly opened many other companies”, there is a rumor in the paddock, alluding to the possibility of being able to spread personnel costs on 'companies' officially involved in other projects. Formula 1 seems to have suddenly become a world of part-time employees, where a large portion of employees (even high-level ones) regularly move from the single-seater to a carbon sail or a sports car.

Already last year the problem had been discussed by the Formula 1 Commission, complete with a directive put in black and white which should have given a clean slate to the problem. The solution was to consider an employee working on a Formula 1 project full-time, so a team would have to charge his overall annual salary into costs, regardless of the number of days dedicated to the project.

A way to return to reality, given that until a few years ago it never emerged that the staff dedicated to the Formula 1 project was shared with other activities. In the spring, traces of the directive were lost, according to rumors after its rejection by some teams.

However, the FIA ​​has not let the issue drop, and during the days of testing in Bahrain it emerged that it will be included in the new financial regulation which will come into force in 2026.
“We'll see how many of the current collateral activities will survive after that date – joked an engineer in Bahrain – you'll see that suddenly everyone will return to being involved full time in Formula 1, including Saturdays!”.