F1 Austrian Grand Prix Notebook: Vettel Fined, Budget Cap, American Wins in F3

Formula 1’s cost cap works to a very specific set of regulations that you need a degree in economics to fully understand.

It works at a basic level of $140 million, with $1.2 million extra for every Grand Prix above a 21-race calendar, as well as a plethora of exclusions and caveats.

In recent months, top teams have warned that they will exceed the limit, predominantly due to the impact of the worst inflation for four decades, the rising cost of living, and unexpectedly high freight costs that was at least in part triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Smaller teams have been more resistant to adjusting the cap, pointing out it is the same for everyone, and suggesting that their rivals should simply cut back on development.

Last week, the FIA agreed to a 3.1% increase in the cap. That is in addition to a 3% "inflation threshold" already built into the budget cap regulation.

Ahead of last Friday’s meeting of the F1 Commission a tabled proposal was agreed by the FIA, Formula 1 and nine of the 10 teams. In a statement, the FIA outlined that it “thereby permits indexation at a limited rate of 3.1% (which takes into account the original 3% inflation threshold already set out in the regulations) and permitting compounding of this rate as from 2023. This will preserve the long-term integrity of the Financial Regulations.”

None of the teams seemed to be entirely happy, which is probably a good outcome.

“It's a good compromise at the end, and nobody was happy and it's probably the best way to manage the deal,” said Alfa Romeo boss Frederic Vasseur. “I think that we have to keep in mind also that the big teams did a mega-big effort to come from more than $300 million to $150 million and I'm pleased with the outcome of the discussion.”

“Obviously, the big teams wanted more, the small teams wanted nothing, and the compromise was in the middle,” explained Haas team boss Guenther Steiner. “But I think it shows, again, that in the end we work together.”

“Too little for the big teams, I guess, because energy prices, inflation, and freight are skyrocketing, but too much for the small team, so like Guenther said, nobody's really happy and I guess that's a good outcome,” said Mercedes chief Toto Wolff.

Preseason testing likely for Bahrain

Next year’s preseason testing is expected to take place solely in Bahrain, ahead of the opening Grand Prix of the year in the Gulf state.

In the meeting of the F1 Commission, it was agreed to update the regulations "to allow preseason testing to take place outside of Europe, four days prior to the first Event of the Championship."

The start to the 2023 season is expected to be slightly earlier than the corresponding first round of 2022, owing to the desire to fit Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in before the start of Ramadan, which begins on March 22. Formula 1 is continuing to work on a deal to return to South Africa after a three-decade absence, with Las Vegas joining and Qatar returning.

China, meanwhile, is also slated to return to the schedule, depending on COVID-19 restrictions in that coungry.

Vettel Skips Our Early, Fine Suspended

Sebastian Vettel was issued with a suspended fine after leaving the drivers briefing without permission, having expressed frustration at the meeting.

In a statement stewards outlined that ‘drivers are not free to leave when they want, this being a breach of the requirement to attend’, adding ‘drivers at this level are role models for every driver around the world and in the opinion of the stewards Vettel failed to live up to that standard in this case’

Vettel subsequently had a meeting with race director Niels Wittich at which he apologized “without reservation” and the two “had a very constructive conversation covering the topics in the meeting and more.”

A suspended fine of $25,400 was added because ‘the breach cannot go without penalty,’ which has been suspended, pending no more issues for the rest of the season. The penalty was a lighter sanction because of the mitigating factors based on Wittich’s report.

France, Spa on Chopping Block?

Formula 1’s next event will be held in France and given the expected expansion of the calendar its upcoming Grand Prix is likely to be the last.

Another event on wobbly ground is Belgium, which would be a far greater miss from the schedule, due to the history of Spa-Francorchamps and the reverence in which it is held.

“Spa is an amazing track, I don’t know any driver who doesn’t like driving in Spa whereas I do know drivers who don’t like… yeah, that would be a shame,” said Sebastian Vettel. “I have no vote in this but my vote would be to go to Spa. Especially after 2021, we will have this year, but last year people paid their money and there was no race, no refund, it was an opportunity where we need to be bigger as a sport and it would be wrong to lose Spa on so many levels.”

Fittipaldi Ticks Haas’ ‘Rookie’ Boxes

Formula 1 teams must run rookie drivers in two practice sessions this year as part of new regulations due to the loss of in-season running. Red Bull handed the now axed Jüri Vips a run in Spain, as did Williams with Nyck de Vries while technically Zhou Guanyu has ticked one box for Alfa Romeo when he participated in Bahrain practice prior to his first race.

Haas is likely to run reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi in its two practice sessions.

The rules state that to tick the box, the said driver must not have participated in more than two championship races. Fittipaldi, Haas’ long-term back-up, has raced in two Grands Prix Sakhir and Abu Dhabi 2020, as a replacement for the injured Romain Grosjean, meaning he fulfils the criteria.

Fittipaldi's last run for Haas came during preseason testing in 2022 in Bahrain, following the departure of Nikita Mazepin, but Haas ultimately opted to hand Kevin Magnussen the race seat full-time. Haas has previously handed practice or test runs to Ferrari proteges Charles Leclerc, Antonio Giovinazzi and Robert Shwartzman but appears to be keeping matters in-house for now.

Podium Finishers Fined Parc Ferme Violations

The top three finishers—Charles Leclerc, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton—were summoned to the stewards shortly after the race.

Why? Well, the FIA was unhappy about their individual trainers breaching parc ferme regulations. It was outlined in the post-race notes document, which is issued on Sunday morning prior to the race start, that ‘driver (trainers) must wait outside the cool down room behind the podium until the podium ceremony is concluded.’

A report was handed to the stewards that outlined that all three were in breach of this. The stewards outlined that the rule is in place ‘in part to prevent handing over of items to the drivers prior to them being weighed.' Ie, in case a driver gets given additional water to take on, or even objects, in case someone feels they are underweight. In conjunction with the suspended fine it was outlined that ‘the passes of the individuals concerned may be revoked in case of systemic violation’.

It was a slightly draconian look, and a little bit silly, but rules are undoubtedly being enforced to the letter by Race Director Niels Wittich.

American Crawford Takes Maiden F3 Victory

In Formula 3 there was a maiden victory for 17-year-old Red Bull-supported Jak Crawford, from North Carolina.

Crawford controlled proceedings from the front to chalk up Sprint Race victory, though his fortune came following heartbreak for compatriot Juan Manuel Correa, who was leading the race when his ART-machine conked out along the pit straight.

Crawford also performed strongly in the rain-affected Feature Race but was taken out of a points position by a rival. Despite the setback Crawford holds fourth in the championship, only 28 points behind leader Victor Martins, with four rounds left in the season.