The driver\’s title in Abu Dabi 2021 Formula One season was a very controversial one. Meanwhile, the can of worms was reopened when the news broke that Red Bull apparently exceeded the budget cap. After the FIA conducted an investigation into the matter, it was confirmed. And while many were anticipating that Red Bull may be stripped of points, the team got away with a fine. After the fine, Red Bull wants to know how the budget info got to the rival teams. Meanwhile, Mercedes head Toto Wolff accused the team of trying to divert everyone\’s attention from the matter.
Toto Wolff Accuses Red Bull Of Creating A Distraction!
Red Bull was one of the two teams that had over the budget cap from the previous year, according to a report from \”Auto Motor und Sport\” published late last month. After almost two weeks, the FIA finally acknowledged that Red Bull had broken the cost cap \’minorly\’. Meanwhile, Red Bull is interested in where their competitors obtained their intelligence before the FIA\’s announcement.
Red Bull\’s desire to find out how Mercedes got the information reinstates the fears that Toto Wolff has a mole inside the FIA. On the other side, Toto Wolff stated that Red Bull\’s allegations that the FIA informed Mercedes of their budget cap punishment are nothing more than a diversion. The head of the Mercedes team asserted that Red Bull\’s remarks, made after the team was found guilty of spending too much money, were merely an attempt to deflect attention from it.
Wolff\’s remarks follow Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko\’s reiteration of the assertion that Mercedes learned about the problem from a leak. Before the FIA concluded its investigation into the teams\’ budgets. He stated it was odd that other teams were talking about the subject during the Singapore Grand Prix. In response to Red Bull\’s allegations, Wolff has stated the Silver Arrows have not received any fresh information from the regulatory body.
Marko\’s worries have been dismissed by Wolff, who claims that Red Bull insiders rather than the FIA are responsible. The leak, according to Wolff, was not caused by the FIA. However, ten finance directors got together all year to discuss who was doing what. Red Bull had raised concerns about the choice of Shaila-Ann Rao to serve as the FIA\’s acting secretary-general earlier this month. Prior to joining FIA, Shaila served as a legal advisor to Mercedes alongside Toto Wolff.
On the budget cap front, The Red Bull team received a $7 million fine for exceeding the set limit. The FIA discovered the team had gone above the cap by $ 2.2 million during the previous campaign. The FIA verified that if Red Bull had appropriately filed a tax return, this amount would have been reduced.