Christian Horner Aims Sly Dig at FIA By Claiming They Are Putting Red Bull’s Fines to ‘Good’ Use

Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner has aimed a sly dig at the FIA after the motorsports governing body ordered the Milton Keynes outfit to pay a whopping $7 million in fines for breaching the cost cap last season.

The penalty did not end there as Red Bull Racing were also asked to reduce their aerodynamic development allowance by a further 10 percent.

The penalty will likely impact the Milton Keynes outfit significantly, as Horner explained how the team would lose between 0.25 and 0.5 seconds of lap time because of the reduction in their ability to use their aerodynamic tools and wind tunnel.

Christian Horner says he’s happy to see the FIA using the fines well

When asked during his Saudi Arabian Grand Prix press conference if the fine would be a cause of concern for Red Bull Racing this season, Christian Horner chose not to respond to the question.

Instead, he hilariously said, “Great to see the fine being applied so well. We got a new FIA couch and Tom’s got a new suit”. Horner’s cheeky reply made the other two team principals, McLaren’s Andrea Stell and Ferrari’s Fred Vasseur, seated beside him share a chuckle.

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Horner refers to FIA’s fines as a ‘blessing in disguise’

According to racingnews365.com, Christian Horner admitted that the FIA’s fines would significantly impact Red Bull Racing’s progress. He explained how the team would face a massive performance deficit as a result.

However, at the same time, he also sees it as a blessing in disguise for the team to work on their efficiency and get the maximum out of their package. Red Bull Racing has begun the F1 2023 season in perfect fashion as they clinched an outstanding 1-2 in the season opener in Bahrain.

Reigning champion Max Verstappen continued from where he left off last season by not only clinching the pole but also converting it into a comfortable race win. The Dutchman beat his teammate, Sergio Perez, by over 10 seconds.

As for the Milton Keynes outfit, they will enter the second race in Saudi Arabia with a lead of 20 points from second-placed Aston Martin in the Constructors’ Championship.

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