"We need to make sure that we've got the right policing" - Ferrari wants FIA to strictly regulate budget cap

Ferrari head Mattia Binotto believes the cost caps on spending in F1 requires strict policing.

Red Bull CEO Christian Horner added that regulating the financial spending throughout the season in development could be key to determining performance throughout the season.

The rate of development of the cars in 2022 will be determined by the budget caps, and reflected in the cars' performances. Binotto believes policing the spend could be a key factor in the developmental battle between teams. Speaking to the Motorsport Network, the Ferrari team principal said:

“(The budget cap) will influence the rate of development.. I think that is a key element, and my concern is that we need to make sure that we've got the right policing on that because it can be, let me say, a game-changer in the fight for developments.”

Echoing the Ferrari chief's words, the Red Bull chief said that developing cars could depend on the strategic funding of teams. Horner believes the cost of development will have to be regulated smartly, and the development will have to be done cost effectively. Horner said:

“I think pretty much every team is pretty close to the limit this year.. It’s very aggressive, so you have to be very strategic in how you apply your funds to developments. I think rather than just running as fast as you can and getting as much performance from the car, you've got to be much more selective in what you chose, based on its cost. So it drives efficiency.”

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Ex-Ferrari and current F1 boss reveals cost caps are being efficiently monitored by FIA

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali revealed that the FIA is ensuring strict financial control by teams amidst the budget caps. The former Ferrari team principal believes the system will collapse if checks and measures are not in place.

According to the former Ferrari head, there are various factors that have made operating within the cost caps difficult, such as economic inflation and the rising price of transportation or logistics. The Italian revealed that certain factors were not considered while introducing the rules to cap costs.

Describing the need to regulate budget caps, Domenicali said:

“The first is that of control, because if those who have to regulate miss something, the whole system collapses. Today, it is not enough to check only the technical side, but a strict financial control is also needed, and for this reason the FIA is equipping itself to be even more robust in its role as guarantor.”

Highlighting the factors that affect cost caps, Domenicali said:

“The second point relates to some variables that were difficult to predict at the time of the launch of the financial regulations. Inflation is going in an unforeseeable direction, and transportation costs have also gone up in recent weeks in a way that is difficult to predict.”

The cost caps were introduced to address the financial disparities across the grid that have been reflected in car development and performance.

For teams like Haas and Alfa Romeo, the cost caps give them a chance to fight against the bigger teams. However, for teams like Ferrari and Mercedes, it limits their development and cripples them to a large extent. That's because they are inherently used to operating with larger funding at their disposal, giving them a significant edge over mid-field teams.