Alpine and Honda found in procedural breach of F1 cost cap

The International Automobile Federation (FIA) has found Alpine and Honda to be in procedural breach of Formula One’s financial regulations for power unit (PU) manufacturers.

Confirmed:

• Alpine and Honda have not been found to exceed the cost cap level despite the procedural breach
• The two PU manufacturers will be expected to settle their respective breaches with an Accepted Breach Agreement (ABA)
• All ten Formula One teams found to comply with the financial regulations

Context:

This is the first year that the financial regulations have been implemented for PU manufacturers, with the teams having had to comply with the cost cap since 2021. Red Bull infamously committed a ‘minor’ breach of the regulations during the first year of the new rules.

During that first season, both Aston Martin and Williams were found to have made procedural breaches and were fined under an ABA. Therefore, it is likely there will be a similar outcome for Alpine and Honda – engine supplier to Red Bull – here.

Comment:

An FIA statement read: ‘Considering the nature of the breach, the complexities of the new financial regulations for PU manufacturers and the challenges associated with their first year of implementation it is the CCA’s [Cost Cap Administration’s] intention to propose to these two PU manufacturers to settle their respective breaches by means of an Accepted Breach Agreement (ABA).’

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McLaren’s Lando Norris will continue to try and reel in runaway championship leader Max Verstappen at this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, taking place from 13th to 15th September.

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