Lewis Hamilton said on Thursday he feared Formula 1 could face further cost cap breaches this season, after teams escaped a “big punishment” last year for earlier overspending.
Italian and German media reported this week that at least two of the ten teams may miss the $140 million cap set for 2022. The FIA said its audit process was still ongoing.
Red Bull was fined $7 million last season for a “minor overshoot” in 2021, with an additional penalty of 10% less time in the wind tunnel during the year. Aston Martin, owned by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll, and Williams were sanctioned for breaches of procedure.
“It’s certainly a concern,” Hamilton told Sky Sports when asked about the possibility of a team breaking the financial rules. “There will probably be people who will start over knowing that they will only get a slap on the wrist.”
Mercedes team-mate George Russell said the penalties needed to be tougher. “There were breaches last year and clearly the punishment was not up to the crime,” the Briton, whose once-dominant side have been catching up since new rules were introduced last year, told reporters. “We don’t want this to happen again and if it is a repeat offense the punishment should be even more severe than what is possibly a fair punishment,” he added.
