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Also at Aston Martin …
… By the way, the summary of the ABA states that the team was “cooperative” and that there was no evidence that it was a matter of deliberate deception.
Aston Martin cannot appeal the decision either, it is also binding.
Incorrect information at Aston Martin
Exciting: Here, too, the FIA complained about twelve points where the team gave incorrect information. However, unlike Red Bull, it was still below the cost cap. Here are the verbatim points:
1. Cost pursuant to Article 3.1(h)(i) of the Financial Regulations (concerning costs in respect of the new F1 Team headquarters);
2. Understatement of Relevant Costs in respect of the provision set forth by Article 4.1(b)(ii) (concerning R&D tax credit);
3. Costs pursuant to Article 3.1(h)(i) of the Financial Regulations (concerning costs in respect of the new F1 simulator);
4. Cost pursuant to Article 3.1(o) of the Financial Regulations (concerning wind tunnel additional fees);
5. Cost pursuant to Article 3.1(i) of the Financial Regulations (concerning certain signing bonus costs);
6. Understatement of Relevant Costs in respect of provisions set forth by Article 4.1(a)(ii) of the Financial Regulations (concerning the use of Transferable Components);
7. Understatement of Relevant Costs in respect of provision set forth by Article 4.1(f)(i)(B) of the Financial Regulations (concerning Used Inventories);
8. Cost pursuant to Articles 3.1(h)(i) and 3.1(i) of the Financial Regulations (concerning service desk costs);
9. Cost pursuant to Article 3.1(i) of the Financial Regulations (concerning cost of catering services provided to personnel at its factory headquarters);
10. Cost pursuant to Article 3.1(i) of the Financial Regulations (concerning cost of desks and chairs);
11. Understatement of Relevant Costs in respect of provisions set forth by Article 4.1(h) of the Financial Regulations (concerning unrecorded costs and losses in respect of the cost of services rendered by sponsors);
12. Cost pursuant to Article 3.1(j) of the Financial Regulations (concerning cost of services rendered by outsourced personnel)
Fine for Aston Martin
There’s the verdict: As expected, Aston Martin only has to pay a fine. $450,000 is due within the next 30 days. Contact us for details!
What is happening to Aston Martin?
This is currently still open. But because the FIA has now published the Red Bull penalty, it can be assumed that the other verdict should also come today. We will of course keep our eyes open.
As a reminder, Aston Martin is dealing with just a procedural error. The penalty should therefore be less than that of Red Bull. As with Williams, there will probably only be a fine.
Is the amount of the fine okay?
The opinions in our editorial department differ somewhat on this. In any case, we are very curious to see what those affected will say about it themselves. As a reminder, at 6:30 p.m. Red Bull will hold a press conference on the subject.
And of course our people on site will try to get voices from the paddock away from the PK as well!
13 points are criticized
Also exciting: Red Bull has not only calculated in one area with wrong costs. A total of 13 points are criticized by the FIA! Here is the list verbatim:
1. Overstated excluded costs pursuant to Article 3.1(a) of the Financial Regulations (concerning catering services);
2. Costs pursuant to Article 3.1(w) of the Financial Regulations (concerning consideration and associated employer’s social security contributions);
3. Costs pursuant to Article 3.1(h)(i) of the Financial Regulations (in respect of Non-F1 Activities), as those costs had already been offset within Total Costs of the Reporting Group;
4. Costs pursuant to Article 3.1(k) of the Financial Regulations (in respect of bonus and associated employer’s social security contributions);
5. Understatement of relevant costs in respect of a gain on disposal of fixed assets by failing to make the necessary upwards adjustment;
6. Costs pursuant to Article 3.1(q) of the Financial Regulations (concerning apprenticeship levies);
7. Costs pursuant to Article 3.1(h)(ii)(i) of the Financial Regulations (concerning consideration and associated employer’s social security contributions);
8. Understatement of Relevant Costs in respect of provisions set forth by Article 4.1(a)(i) of the Financial Regulations (concerning the cost of use of Power Units);
9. Costs pursuant to Article 3.1(h) (i) of the Financial Regulations (concerning consideration and associated employer’s social security contributions);
10. Understatement of Relevant Costs in respect of provisions set forth by Article 4.1(f)(i)(B) of the Financial Regulations (concerning use of inventories);
11. Clerical error in respect of RBR’s calculation of certain costs re-charged to it by Red Bull Power Trains Limited;
12. Certain travel costs pursuant to Article 3.1(r) of the Financial Regulations;
13. Costs of maintenance pursuant to Article 3.1(i) of the Financial Regulations.
ABA accepted on Wednesday
A small side note: The FIA reveals in its summary of the case that the ABA was already signed on October 26th – this Wednesday. So the penalty for Red Bull has been fixed for two days.
It is also said that Red Bull behaved “cooperatively” and that there is no evidence that the bulls deliberately violated the cost cap. Therefore, Red Bull was also offered an ABA.
punishment is binding
As a reminder, Red Bull has adopted what is known as an “Accepted Breach Agreement” (ABA). This means that Red Bull accepts the penalty and has no opportunity to appeal against it.
The seven million US dollars must now be paid within 30 days. Important, however: This penalty does not fall under the cost cap! So it’s not going away from Red Bull’s budget this year.
By how much did Red Bull overshoot?
The FIA has also published the exact sums. According to their own statements, Red Bull had costs of £114,293,000 last year. That would have been below the allowed 118,036,000.
Red Bull has always emphasized that itself. However, the FIA concluded that the figure given was £5,607,000 too low. So Red Bull was not under the cost cap but £1,864,000 over it.
This corresponds to an overdraft of 1.6 percent.
Ten percent less test time
In the following twelve months, Red Bull will cut ten percent of the aerodynamic test time. Because Red Bull is currently in first place in the World Cup, you would actually only have 70 percent available anyway because of the handicap system.
This applies to wind tunnel and CFD tests. Ten percent is then subtracted from this, leaving 63 percent. By the way, in the rather complex wording it sounds like this:
“RBR receives a Minor Sporting Penalty in the form of a limitation of RBR’s ability to conduct aerodynamic testing during a period of 12 months from the date of execution of the ABA through the application of a reduction of 10% of the Coefficient C used to calculate the individual Restricted Wind Tunnel Testing (RWTT) and Restricted Computational Fluid Dynamics (RCFD) limits applicable to each Team as set out in Article 6 of Appendix 7 to the FIA Formula 1 Sporting Regulations.”
“For example, if the Coefficient C, based on RBR’s championship position is 70%, the effective new value of C will be: CNEW=70% x (1-0.10) = 63.0%.”
The penalty is here!
The verdict is here! Red Bull has been fined $7 million and received a sporting penalty in the form of a reduction in aerodynamic test time. More right here in the ticker!
Lewis Hamilton’s teammates…
… by the way, we have put them together in this photo series. And in fact, compared to Hamilton’s previous teammates, Russell is – at least currently – really good!
Photo gallery: Lewis Hamilton’s teammates
Hamilton: I don’t care about the duel against Russell
“If we were first and second, it would be different,” said Hamilton, who also clarified: “George is doing a great job. I have no problems with it at all. There are no problems between us in the background.”
But as Hamilton himself suggests: If both were fighting for the title this year, it wouldn’t be quite as harmonious at Mercedes…
Friday driver
In Mexico (8:30 a.m. local time) the paddock is slowly filling up and we are also picking up the pace in the ticker. To start, let’s take a quick look at the Friday drivers who will be in the car in FT1 afterwards.
That will be five pieces! They are Nyck de Vries (Mercedes), Jack Doohan (Alpine), Liam Lawson (AlphaTauri), Logan Sargeant (Williams) and Pietro Fittipaldi (Haas).
The overview of all Friday drivers this year can be found here!
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