Under Threat of Breaching the $140,000,000 Cost Cap, Mercedes Boss Would Prefer Losing Than Repeat Red Bull’s Feat

Sabyasachi Biswas | 01/08/2023
Under Threat of Breaching the $140,000,000 Cost Cap, Mercedes Boss Would Prefer Losing Than Repeat Red Bull’s Feat

Mercedes has recently been on FIA’s radar for breaching the 2022 budget cap. Numerous reports recently suggested that the Silver Arrows breached the $140,000,000 cost cap. Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal revealed that it is not in his team’s DNA to win by illegal means. With this, it is pretty evident that he took a direct dig at rivals Red Bull, who breached the 2021 cost cap and won the championship eventually.

The controversy surrounding the cost cap began after teams such as Mercedes and McLaren claimed that Red Bull got away with insignificant penalties. Lewis Hamilton added his version to it as he stated that teams will likely breach the cost cap to gain a maximum advantage if the punishment is not severe.

Admittedly, the recent reports by Italian media on Aston Martin and Alpine allegedly breaching the cap have stirred up further controversies. And Mercedes did not get away from this, as they are also under threat from the FIA investigation. Now Wolff, citing this, has revealed that he would rather prefer to lose than to be held guilty.

Violation of the cost cap is not the way for Mercedes, remarked Toto Wolff

Since the beginning of the 2022 F1 season, Mercedes has had underwhelming performances. As the new regulations were laid out last season, it seems like they have failed to make the best out of it, and are still lagging behind the leader Red Bull.

However, for the Austrian boss, breaching the cap to attain an advantage is certainly not the way. Speaking about this in BBC’s Desert Island Discs, the billionaire boss said that he wants to win the championship at any cost, but by merit and fairness.

About this, the 51-year-old further added that terrible things were happening in the sport due to a lack of integrity, honesty, or humility. And, understandably, this was a subtle dig at Red Bull for their 2021 breach.

Notably, Toto Wolff exploded when the news broke out regarding Red Bull breaching the 2021 cost cap, thus fuelling his rivalry with Christian Horner even further. Nevertheless, the FIA has already snubbed the reports of teams having breached the cost cap of the 2022 F1 season.

FIA’s stance on the cost cap breach

The FIA said that the reports about the teams breaching the cost cap are unfounded and false. A statement released by the F1 governing body said that the audit is still ongoing, and there are no official reports as such on it.

Furthermore, they are still to reveal the official date to unveil the details about each team’s expenses for the 2022 F1 season. All in all, the fans can relax over the budget cap breaching issue, at least for now.

On the other hand, to have strict regulations and eyes over the teams breaching the cap, FIA has introduced TD45. Through TD45, FIA will be able to keep their eyes both on F1 and non-F1 activities by the teams. And now, if the teams are found to have crossed the cost cap mark, FIA revealed stricter punishment for the offender.

Post Edited By: Pritam Priyedarshi
Christian Horner Lewis Hamilton Toto Wolff

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Sabyasachi Biswas

Sabyasachi Biswas is an F1 journalist at The SportsRush. With over one and a half decades of love for the sport and five years of experience in the field, he dreams to be a regular at the paddock when the lights go out. A Red Bull fan and F1 fan in general over the years, he enjoyed watching Felipe Massa, Sebastian Vettel, and Max Verstappen dominate the track. Apart from F1, he's also a big-time Madridista and Federer fanatic. He was a sub-junior level footballer, won inter-district quizzes and debate competitions back in school. A travel freak throughout, he tries different cuisines and learns new cultures whenever he's away from the keyboard.

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