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Horner criticizes FIA: "Lack of transparency is the hardest thing to deal with"

4 May 2020 at 15:04
Last update 4 May 2020 at 15:10
  • GPblog.com

Christian Horner is still not happy that Ferrari and the FIA do not want to disclose the contents of their deal about the allegedly illegal Ferrari 2019 engine. The Red Bull Racing team boss demands transparency and also criticises the smaller teams who want to push through a further reduction of the budget ceiling in Formula 1.

"It has left a bad taste in people’s mouths," says Horner in conversation with The Telegraph. As a result of the investigation into the Italian motorbike, the International Motorsport Association has had some changes made to the regulations. What exactly was wrong with Ferrari's power unit is still not clear to this day.

The British Chief does not think it is possible that the FIA does not disclose exactly what the findings are. The governing body of the sport has made a deal with Ferrari not to disclose the content of the investigation. "The hardest thing to deal with is the lack of transparency," says Horner.

Horner mentions major drawback budget cap

Due to the financial impact of the coronavirus, several teams are arguing for a further reduction of the budget ceiling. Currently there is a maximum amount of $175 million per team on an annual basis, but a team like McLaren would prefer to see this reduced to $100 million. It should ensure a financially healthier Formula 1 and the leveling of the playing field.

Horner calls the call for a lower budget cap 'opportunism' in the interview and states that race stables are very different in terms of business in Formula 1. “It’s a false economy, the cap, and it will be impossible to police, because every corporate entity is different. Ferrari report one set of accounts for their entire business, across road cars and F1. How on earth are you going to unpick that?", the 46-year-old British top man asks.