Hamilton: Cost cap penalty ‘didn’t cost Red Bull anything’, ‘it was so small’
Red Bull were hit with a fine and restriction on aerodynamic testing after they were found guilty of breaking F1’s financial regulations for the 2021 season.
Ironically, it was the season Max Verstappen went head-to-head with Hamilton for the title.
Despite the restrictions on aero testing, Red Bull are enjoying their most dominant campaign to date, winning all eight of the races so far in F1 2023.
With such a lead in both championships, Red Bull can focus on next year’s car development while still dominating this year.
This prospect has led to a suggestion from Hamilton that the FIA should set a hard deadline when F1 teams are allowed to start developing their car for next year amid fears that Red Bull can capitalise on their dominance this year and begin work on the 2024 car before anyone else.
Speaking to Sky ahead of this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix, Hamilton said: “I don’t think it did, anyway. The penalty didn’t cost them anything.
“It definitely, definitely didn’t. It was so small.”
Looking at Mercedes’ chances, Hamilton hasn’t won in F1 in over 18 months, stretching back to the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Despite the lengthy drought, Hamilton’s focus is on challenging for next year’s championship in 2024 rather than winning a race this year.
"I don’t know, I’m trying to win a race,” he added. “I have no idea. It depends where the car goes.
“We will hopefully get close but I can’t predict what Aston or Ferrari will do, or where Red Bull will be. I hope so. But I also hope that we don’t focus too much on winning a race this year.
“I care less to win a race this year, more to win the championship next year.”
Hamilton has often struggled relative to his teammates at this weekend’s venue in Austria.
He last won at the Red Bull Ring in 2020 after storming to pole by 1.2s in wet conditions.
“We have not made any changes to the car, between the last race and this one,” he explained.
“There are similarities to Barcelona, trackwise. The car will be fairly decent here.
“I’m more excited for next week because we will take a small step in the right direction. I think we have a step coming. It is similar to the last step that we took. Small steps in the right direction.
“But the great thing is that we have steps coming, that’s the one really important thing to look at.”
