Max Verstappen could lose his 2021 title over Red Bull’s cost cap breach with Lewis Hamilton the man who stands to benefit.
Max Verstappen has been told ‘things will get worse’ by former Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone after Red Bull’s budget cap breach in 2021. The Dutchman is still waiting to find out what penalty his team will receive for breaking the financial rules, with the 91-year-old’s comments offering Lewis Hamilton hope that he could yet claim a record-breaking eighth Formula One crown.
Most of the talk surrounding the sport in recent weeks has been about Red Bull’s breach of the financial regulations – something which was confirmed by the FIA on Monday following a lengthy investigation. The team’s breach is considered ‘minor’, meaning they went over the £114million cap by less than 5%, with £1.8m the figure that has been rumoured by those within F1.
The FIA have a range of sporting punishments at its disposal, from from a public reprimand to disqualification. Points penalties, fines and reduced development time in the years to come are also possibilities as the sports governing body ponders how to penalise Verstappen’s team.
Given the 25-year-old only beat Hamilton to the title by eight points in 2021 hopes had been raised that the Brit could claim his eighth championship, with only a small points penalty needed to see the title move to the Mercedes garage instead.
