F1 could 'see more innovations and risk taking' if cost-cap allows technical freedom, claims McLaren boss

McLaren boss Zak Brown feels F1 could see more innovation if the cost cap allowed a little more technical freedom. The sport's cost cap is heavily regulated to try and bridge the gap between all teams.

The F1 boss told the media:

"If you've got a cost cap, then there should actually be some more technical freedom within the cost cap. You would then see more innovations and risk-taking and the cars would look even more different. If you have the cap, then you've kind of got two [guidelines] as 'Everything has to look exactly like that' and 'You can't spend more than that'. Just stop with the spend and do [what] you want. I think you would bring out more innovation, and everyone would learn from each other."

The sport introduced a cost cap of $145 million in 2021 - which was further reduced to $140 million in 2022 - to limit the amount of money teams can use for car development. The budget cap was imposed so that smaller, less financially-well-off teams could fight with top teams such as Mercedes, Red Bull, and Ferrari.

The idea of a level playing field has taken a central seat in F1's idea for the future. McLaren's Zak Brown, however, feels the sport should allow more technical freedom whilst still under the cost cap. Brown argues that increased technical freedom would allow for more innovation and would lead to different car concepts on the grid.

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Cost cap could change the pecking order, claims former F1 world champion

Former F1 world champion Damon Hill claims the cost cap could change the pecking order in the sport. The Briton praised the new regulations, claiming the cost cap is good for the sport's future.

The FIA introduced new aerodynamic as well as financial regulations in 2022. F1 teams were given a budget limit of $145 million to use for this year's campaign. Hill claims that while the new regulations will require some 'adjusting' in coming times, they are likely to help smaller teams battle the big names.

The 1996 world champion told the F1 Nation podcast:

"This season, the new cost cap regulations, it's hard to remember back to the beginning, when this was a completely new set of regulations. This was all completely new. We didn't know which way it was going to go, and I think it's been a huge success. And we're going to see, long-term, the effects of the cost cap having a role to play and more pressure coming from below, from the teams down the grid who can do more testing [and] more development if they've got the money."

He concluded:

"It will get more difficult to win in this formula in years to come.

As it stands, however, teams such as Haas and Williams are a long way from battling at the top of the table. If the sport chooses to allow for more technical freedom, as Zak Brown claims, this pecking order could be significantly shaken up in the years to come.