FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem believes that its transparency in investigating the Red Bull and Aston Martin breaches will promote the effectiveness of the F1 cost cap.
Both teams were found in violation in 2021, the first Formula 1 season of the cap, during investigations last year although the nature of the offences differed.
Aston Martin’s was a mere procedural breach whereas Red Bull was found guilty of that and a “Minor Overspend” of $1.8 million.
Speaking from the Dakar Rally, where Equivalence of Technology between the Cars has been a major controversy, Ben Sulayem said the cost cap should be less controversial given how the FIA went about its investigations last year.
“It’s not an easy task, to do Equivalent of Technology or the Balance of Performance,” he remarked.
“The one thing that I can say, and I can see that it’s working and we have to police it, is the cost cap.
“I was very clear with what happened with Red Bull and Aston Martin. We made sure that nothing was hidden, and we were very transparent.
“We did the team [investigation], did the check-up, went through the whole process and we cleared it publicly to everyone.
“I hope nobody can use the cost cap and try to cover up things.
“The teams now are very clear that the FIA is there as the governing body. They are there watching, and that is our beauty, that is our responsibility.”
Ben Sulayem is also confident that the cost cap will promote the competitiveness of the smaller teams in F1.
“When it comes to the cost cap, there is one thing, it has to work,” he declared.
“Yes, the gap is big, but we just have to push more into it to make sure the other teams come up to the level of the big teams.”
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