Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner has continued his request to the FIA to increase this season’s budget cap, which currently sits at $140 million.
Horner has insisted that with the current cost of living crisis, many teams will be forced to miss the last few rounds due to breaking the budget.
The Red Bull boss has appeared as somewhat of a hypocrite though, by insisting that the FIA make rule tweaks to the budget cap but not to the porpoising issue.
This comes due to Red Bull being one of the teams concerned about breaking the budget, but also being one of the few not to suffer from porpoising.
Horner was questioned about his rather hypocritical attitude by reporters, who asked why he wants the FIA to step in and help his team with money but not those who need help with the porpoising.
“I think if you inflicted something like that then there is a significant cost attached to it and that comes nowhere else other than the development costs for argument’s sake,” he said.
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“What we’re talking about with the cost cap is inflation. In the UK, they’re talking about 11 per cent inflation in the second half of the year.
“That is due to what is going on in the world. It was not predicted, it is a genuine force majeure situation.
“Again, it is something that it is down to the FIA to take the appropriate action otherwise you’re going to have probably seven teams that break the cap in some shape or form by the end of the year.”
Porpoising could also be classed as a “majeure situation”, with it appearing to be an issue caused by the regulations based on the fact that all teams suffered from it at the pre-season test.
Horner whole-heartedly disagrees, saying: “Not really. It’s two different things. The porpoising is within the control of the team.
Alfa Romeo team principal Frederic Vasseur has also had his say on the situation, saying that it’s within teams control of how much they spend.
Vasseur insists that if teams are concerned about over-spending, then they can simply turn off the wind tunnels or stop designing upgrades.
Alfa Romeo are a side not concerned about the budget cap, after taking the cost of living crisis into consideration at the start of the season.
Vassuer’s opinion was put to Horner, who continued that the cost of living is something which teams “can’t control”.
“It’s not about putting a front wing on,” he continued.
“It’s about the cost of energy, the cost of inflation, the cost of living, the cost of putting fuel in your car. It’s going up for everybody.
“It’s the supply of parts, it’s the cost of freight, the cost of electrics, of utilities. So there are things you can’t control and that is why I think the majority of teams do feel there’s an issue that needs to be addressed there,” concluded the Red Bull boss.