Midfield F1 teams rally for budget cap overhaul to bridge infrastructure gap
Jun.23 - Midfield and lower-level Formula 1 teams are pushing for changes in the budget cap system to enable them to catch up in terms of infrastructure.
Before the Canadian GP, Williams boss James Vowles admitted the once-great team is now 20 years behind the top teams in terms of key infrastructure at the factory.
But he says the budget cap is now allowing Williams to catch up now that it can afford it.
"The numbers we're talking about here is hundreds of millions - not 10 million or 20 million - but hundreds of millions to sort of catch up with the level of investment," said Vowles.
"What we're looking for at the moment is the ability to have sporting equity - the ability to have infrastructure that matches our peers."
Another team very keen on rule changes is Sauber - currently known as Alfa Romeo. But by 2026, the Swiss outfit will have fully transitioned to become Audi's new works F1 team.
"The important difference is no longer the budget that each team has," team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi told the Spanish newspaper El Mundo Deportivo.
"It's the infrastructure. The top teams have been investing without any limit in the previous 20 years so that their cutting-edge technology and facilities are not comparable to the rest of the teams," he added.
Bravi said it is now "a very important point" whether the FIA will allow the lagging teams to catch up.
"If we really want to get to a point of creating opportunities for everyone to aim for at least podiums, we have to put an end to this structural difference between big and small," he insisted.
If the FIA does allow some special investments for F1's non-top teams, Bravi thinks it will be possible for up to 6 or 7 teams to be fighting at the top.
"Now there are 3 or 4 teams that can fight at the top but I can imagine a much more competitive championship. In 2026 we will have 6 official manufacturers - a situation never seen in F1," the Italian lawyer added.
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Yeah, they want more money. I wonder how Tyrrell & Stewart did it out of Ken's barn. Sheesh OK, I'm a dinosaur.
How is it possible that they complain about budgetgap ? If that stops them , for god sake how is it possible that AstonMartin can build a complete new factory and windtunnel.Are the smarter ? Or is another company building all the new facillities ? I think it is the way they have to do . When finished the team can lease everything and keep the lease inside the budgetcap.? I don't know but FIA wake up
Thats a good point, Austin Martin used to be Racing point Four years ago. Now look what they are achieving. Didn’t really seem to be an issue to build a whole new factory and wind tunnel. Hy is that money not part of the budget cap issue?
AM has invested in creative accounting!
Lawrence is a smart businessman, so nothing surprises me about how he makes things happen within the so-called budget cap!
Certain things are outside the budget I think the factory being one, as for the new wind tunnel I know a team asked for special permission from the fia it could have been AM
There are a number of reasons why this is a bad idea: 1. The top four teams provide interesting racing for the first and last 10 laps; 2. The Tier 2 and Tier 3 teams provide the bulk of racing excitement. Fighting for 8th, 9th and 10th places is as fascinating as 1st, 2nd, or 3rd; 3. With 6 or 7 Tier 1 teams, you'll have a snore-fest DRS choo-choo train; 4. Lots of driving talent in the paddock, but it needs to mature. Do you want Sergeant in Max's Red Bull monster? I think not.
There's a reason there is a hierarchy of teams, let's keep it that way.
Amen, my Canadian friend.
Exactement, mon ami!
100% basé sur des faits!
Extremely small vote of confidence in Alpine f1 team -with the Bod selling a chunk of it off-- spinning it to say it will allow investment, Yeah investment Renault werent prepared to make themselves, its not Oems we gotta worry about its Vulture capitalists owning big chunks of the grid, Mcl, Alpine, Williams
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