Red Bull’s reputation on the line as 2021 war of words return to F1 paddock ahead of cost-cap findings

As much as last year’s unparalleled spectacle in an F1 season for the ages was characterised by Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton’s fierce battles on track, accusations and rebuttals in the paddock from the bosses at centre-stage made for narratives equally as engrossing as all the action on the road.

Christian Horner and Toto Wolff were at each other’s throats essentially from Silverstone last July all the way to Abu Dhabi and the controversy that concluded the 2021 melodrama. War of words, bordering on trash talk, epitomised the high-stake nature of what was at play as Red Bull hunted down the Mercedes juggernaut. The impact, in reality, was felt by Michael Masi’s fumbled judgement, which swung the title Verstappen’s way and, if nothing else, had bosses at Netflix salivating at the mouth.

This year, by contrast and amid Red Bull’s domination and Mercedes’ shortcomings, has been tame and timid. Until Singapore this past weekend, that is.

Before Friday’s practice sessions at Marina Bay, murmurs of cost-cap breaches quickly spread around the paddock, with two teams rumoured to have fallen foul of F1’s inaugural year of financial measures in 2021: Red Bull and Aston Martin.

Wolff, notably downbeat this year given Mercedes’ race-by-race failings, did not need a second invitation. Like a predator waiting in the shadows, the Mercedes CEO came out firing: “It’s been weeks and months they’re [Red Bull] being investigated, so maybe he [Horner] doesn’t speak to his CFO.

“As a matter of fact, all of us have been investigated diligently. And as far as we understand, there’s a team in minor breach, which is more procedural, and another team that is fundamentally massively over [the cost cap] and that is being still looked after. So that’s an open secret in the paddock.”

Wolff went on to emphasise how exceeding the $145m (£114m) budget for 2021 would have a subsequent impact and advantage for this year and beyond. The latest development on Monday suggests Wolff could U-turn on initial plans not to travel to Japan, with the fallout expected to engulf the pit lane in Suzuka later this week with the FIA set to reveal on Wednesday if any teams have failed to comply.

Upon hearing Wolff’s statements – and similar quotes from Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto – a seething Horner came out swinging: “The (comments from other teams) are hugely defamatory and we take umbrage to them. One can only assume it’s not coincidental that this is at a point where Max has his first strike at the world championship.

“How on earth do they have this information? Where do they have this knowledge? The FIA have even stated that they haven’t even completed their process.

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“So unless there is a clear withdrawal of those statements, we will be taking it incredibly seriously and looking at what the options available to use are, because it is absolutely unacceptable to be making comments of the type that were made, that are totally defamatory to the team, the brands and even to Formula One.”

Horner insists he is “confident” in Red Bull’s submission. Verstappen also implored rival teams to “keep their mouths shut”. Wishful thinking, it has to be said. Because while all the adulation should be headed the Dutchman’s way, if he wraps up his inevitable second world title this week, instead the focus will be on his team falling foul of the rules should the findings on Wednesday say so.

Rightly so, too. In a sport where marginal gains are so often the difference between lap times, grid spots and championship points, even a minor infringement – in this case exceeding the budget by less than 5 per cent, equating to £5.6m – should be scrutinised and damned.

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Formula One introduced cost-cap measures as a means of improving competition and sustainability, despite the Covid pandemic and a globe-trotting calendar with more races than ever before. A breach of the regulations, no matter how small, is acutely serious.

If, and it is only an if at this stage, Red Bull are found guilty, a docking of World Championship points – and a subsequent 2021 title swap – is realistically unlikely. Nearly 12 months on from the Abu Dhabi finale that triggered its own FIA investigation into safety car procedures, changing the result at this stage is distasteful all-round. It is certainly not the way Hamilton, who in the end finished eight points behind Verstappen, would want to claim a record eighth world title.

Yet on the flip side, the FIA and their new president Mohammed Ben Sulayem have a responsibility to come down hard on any misdemeanours. A precedent has to be set, particularly with the cost cap coming down to $140m this year and $135m from 2023-2025. Depending on the severity of the breach, is a fine enough of a punishment? The cost cap adjudication panel, made up of a group of six to 12 judges proposed by the FIA and by the teams, will have the final say should any team exceed the cap.

The scale of the speculation – and how it completely overshadowed Sergio Perez’s terrific win in dramatically damp conditions on the streets of Singapore – tells you all you need to know about the significance of Wednesday’s findings. Any breaches will likely see this saga run on and on in the law courts. The reputation of Red Bull, and all the teams, is in the line of fire.