The FiA – Formula One’s governing body – has delayed their budget cap report regarding inquiries into whether any team breached the sport’s budget cap last year. The FIA told Formula 1 teams that the report would be published on October 5, 2022 – at which time, they would issue certificates of compliance to the teams which were in budget compliance.
However, the FIA instead issued a statement that the report would be “concluded to enable the release of the certificates on Monday, 10 October [2022].”
The current delay is now the fourth delay of the FIA’s report – having initially been announced for a September 30, 2022 publication date, which was then moved to October 3, then October 5 and now, finally, October 10.
The FiA budget cap report is highly anticipated as there is a possibility that two teams breached the $145 million budget cap – Aston Martin and Red Bull – with Aston Martin speculated to be a minor breach while Red Bull is speculated to be a larger ‘material’ breach.
Potential penalties for a minor breach include a reprimand; deduction of constructors’ or drivers’ championship points for the year in question; suspension; limitations on aerodynamic or other testing; a reduction of that team’s cost cap while potential penalties for a material breach are more harsh and include the possibility of exclusion from the championship.
The budget cap reduced to $140 million in 2022 and is being further reduced to $135 million in 2023.
The 2022 Japanese Grand Prix is next up on the 2022 F1 racing calendar on Saturday, October 8 at the Suzuka circuit.