F1 News: Haas Chief Fights Against Larger Teams Over Cost Cap Increase
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has fought back at several other team principals across the F1, arguing that despite massive inflation, teams must stick to the budget cap defined at the start of the season.
Increases in cost across the board from energy to freight expenses has led bigger teams to admit that they will not be able to keep within the $140 million cost threshold if they continue to work this way. Mercedes, Red Bull, and McLaren has already spoken out on this, asking the FIA to increase the threshold to cater to these higher expenses. Christian Horner has gone as far as to admit that larger teams may not be able to continue racing towards the end of the season if this doesn’t happen.
But Steiner doesn’t agree with this:
“It’s mixing it up, I think as I always said short-term nothing will change but mid to long-term I think it will get even closer together.
“But therefore, we shouldn’t now change the budget cap and up it because this is actually good for the racing in the midfield now.
“You never know who is best of the rest. And I think if we continue with the budget cap, and with the rules it will get even closer together to the big guys.
“I mean, we all have to make it. I don’t have a job if I tell my boss I don’t make it to the end of the season. That’s my job.
“We need to do, because if you don’t finish the season, the next year you don’t get any money.”
Steiner has admitted that a temporary or limited allowance to cover travel expenses would be a middle ground he could accept. But these funds should not be used to develop the cars.
“We just take the transport cost, I would say it costs three million more this year than last year, up the cost cap maybe three million on the transport costs, because that’s also easy to police because everything is done by FOM,” Steiner continud.
“So you cannot say ‘Oh, I spent more’ because FOM sends you the bill. Everything is very transparent.
“And then say next year, if the transport cost comes down again, it’s a kilo price. It’s very easy to monitor and to control. Okay, it’s down again, we take that three million away.”