Verstappen: Rivals should keep “mouths shut” over F1 budget cap
The Singapore Grand Prix, won by Red Bull's Sergio Perez while Verstappen came seventh, was dominated by cost cap talk amid increasing paddock speculation that two teams were in breach of the 2021 financial regulations.
F1’s governing body the FIA are expected to officially announce that two teams violated last year’s $145m budget cap in the coming week.
Red Bull’s main rivals have been very vocal on the topic, with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff describing the matter as a “heavyweight” issue, while Ferrari have called for severe punishment for teams that have broken the rules.
That led Red Bull team principal Christian Horner to hit back at the “extremely defamatory” claims, and threatened legal action if the accusations were not withdrawn.
“I know where it [the speculation] comes from, so for me it’s OK,” Verstappen said.
“With what I hear from the team, yes [I’m confident].
“Of course, then other teams start to talk about it while they have no information, and I find that a bit silly. Just keep your mouths shut.”
There are several punishments that could be handed out for a breach of the budget cap, ranging from fines to deductions of team and/or driver points or even “exclusion from the championship” for the season concerned.
If Red Bull are found guilty, there is a possibility that Verstappen could be stripped of last year’s world title - which was won in hugely controversial circumstances at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - and it be handed to Lewis Hamilton, though such a scenario is not considered likely.
Seven-time world champion Hamilton was asked for his thoughts on the situation in Singapore.
“I’ve not really given it much attention to be honest,” said the Mercedes driver.
“It’s all whispers at the moment and I don’t know enough about it to be able to make a sensible comment. I’m not thinking particularly anything.
“I’m proud of my team for the diligence they’ve done to run to the rules and I honestly have full confidence in Mohammed [Ben Sulayem], in the way that he has conducted himself to this point, in terms of being strict and being clear with the rules.
“Rules are rules and for those sorts of things, which can lead to real alterations in terms of car performance and those sorts of things, we definitely have to take it seriously.
“But as I said, I don’t know if it’s true or not. So we’ll see.”
