“There’s Really No Rule”: Lewis Hamilton Berates FIA’s $7,000,000 Mistake To Dismiss Decorated $135,000,000 Barrier

Lewis Hamilton is returning to the Hungaroring this weekend, one of his most successful circuits, aiming for a record-breaking ninth win. However, amidst the excitement, Hamilton has taken a shot at the FIA, expressing his dissatisfaction over the dismissal of a $135,000,000 cost-cap barrier which he called out by berating the $7,000,000 penalty in Red Bull‘s case.

Hamilton’s concerns emerge as he contends with a seemingly invincible Max Verstappen and the Red Bull, both of whom will bring another upgrade this weekend. Despite the impression that his team, Mercedes, is making incremental progress, he noted other teams making significantly larger strides. His skepticism arises from the pattern of Red Bull’s frequent upgrades, combined with the rumors of overspending in the F1 community, suggesting potential flouting of budget rules.

“There’s really no rule,” Hamilton said, criticizing the FIA’s oversight of team spending. In particular, he pointed out their alleged error in dismissing the $135,000,000 barrier, which, he argued, had allowed certain teams to gain an unfair advantage.“Last time they [Red Bull] didn’t get a particularly heavy sentence, so there’s really no rule. So there will probably be teams that go for it again, knowing that they will not be tackled,” he told Sky Sports F1.

Hamilton’s criticism refers to the budget cap introduced in 2021 to level the playing field. Hamilton suggests that some teams have circumvented this cap, gaining an unfair advantage possibly through exploiting loopholes or investing heavily in areas not covered by the cap. His comments are substantiated by a recent report confirming that Red Bull exceeded the budget cap during the 2021 season, although the FIA deemed it a “minor” breach.

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The Controversy Surrounding Lewis Hamilton, the Cost Cap and its Impact on the Sport

The financial regulations, which were introduced with a cap of $145 million (later reduced to $135 million) in 2021, have been a source of controversy since their arrival. Despite this cap, the FIA found that Red Bull had exceeded the limit by 1.6% in 2021, the year Verstappen in-famously clinched the drivers’ title. Furthermore, rumors are circulating that teams may have committed similar breaches in 2023.

According to a report by Motorsport.com, there are rumors of three teams potentially breaching the cost cap. Adding fuel to this, the English driver said, “I’m not about that. There are people who should keep an eye on this, but I’m not surprised, because a punishment has been handed out before.”

The FIA plans to announce the results of its review at the end of July, just before the summer break begins. Unlike last year, CEO Stefano Domenicali has requested the FIA to expedite the process this year to avoid speculation and unnecessary comments.