20/09/2017
NEWS STORY
While Force India has made no secret of its desire to see a cap on spending, the Silverstone-based outfit fielding a competitive car and driver pairing for an outlay as much as a third or more of some of its rivals, said rivals are unhappy at the prospect of being told what they can spend and how they can spend it.
Speaking at the weekend, Christian Horner insisted that while he agrees spending does need to be reduced, he lay the blame at the door of the FIA, claiming that it is the regulations that drive up costs... and not to the betterment of the sport.
"We're fully in favour of reducing costs," he said. "I think the problem if you just introduce a budget cap with current regulations is that we'll end up employing teams of accountants to find smart ways of circumventing the current set of rules.
"I think the biggest cost drivers are the technical regulations," he continued, "and I think FIA, FOM need to get those under control: to get the chassis-side under control, to clean up the cars - they're starting to look far too messy in terms of all the appendages that are growing on them.
"Of course, a key part of that also is the engine," he admitted. "We're sitting here today with enormous engine bills because of the technology that are involved in these power units. The manufacturer obviously is bearing the brunt of the research and development costs of those engines that one has to question, what is the actual road relevance of?
"So I think there needs to be an absolute root and branch review of the regulations. I think once that is done, then you can potentially look at a budget cap - because it becomes a far softer mechanism than if you introduce the budget cap tomorrow, then with race teams incorporated as part of larger OEMs it would be almost impossible to effectively police the allocation of resource and spend and facilities, etcetera."
While both Red Bull and Renault did their level best - but with little conviction - to play down reports that the French supplier is to drop the Austrian team at the end of next season, following Horner's dismissal of the Porsche buy-out speculation, attention switched to Aston Martin.
The British manufacturer's CEO, Andy Palmer, attended the Singapore Grand Prix and while admitting that his company wants to be involved in the sport - having attended the various meetings of the Power Unit Working Group, as have Cosworth and Volkswagen - it cannot do so until the new (for 2021) engine formula has been agreed.
Even then, he admits, the new formula, though still hybrid, must be less complex and far less expensive than at present.