Ferrari want to see 'maximum penalties' applied to any team that is found to have been in breach of the 2021 budget cap.
The Singapore Grand Prix paddock is abuzz with speculation that two teams will be found over the limit of the 2021 budget cap when the FIA publishes its full set of reports next week ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.
Indeed, reports on Friday suggested that Red Bull and Aston Martin were the teams in question, though that is still speculation and nothing has been confirmed.
Christian Horner, in fact, told Sky that he was of the opinion that when Red Bull submitted their finances back in March at the beginning of this process that they were under the 2021 cap, so we'll soon see just what is going to come out next week.
If Red Bull, Aston Martin, or any other team are found to be over the cap from last year there will be an expectancy from the other teams who were under the limit that the FIA applies penalties and, speaking to Sky Italia, Ferrari race director Laurent Mekies said that 'maximum penalties' should be applied.
READ MORE: THE PENALTIES A TEAM COULD FACE IF THEY'VE BREACHED BUDGET CAP
"It’s now no secret that two teams broke the 2021 budget cap regulations, one by a significant amount, the other less so," said Mekies.
We regard this as something very serious and we expect the FIA to manage the situation in exemplary fashion.
“We trust the FIA 100 percent. They have taken a very strong position in recent weeks and months on other issues.
“Therefore we expect that, for such a serious matter, there will be complete transparency and maximum penalties to ensure we are all racing within the same rules, because their impact on car performance is huge.”
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - NOVEMBER 05: Laurent Mekies, Scuderia Ferrari Sporting Director and Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner talk in the Team Principals Press Conference during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Mexico at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on November 05, 2021 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Mark Sutton - Pool/Getty Images)
The reports from German and Italian outlets suggest that one team is guilty of a minor breach whilst the other is more significant, and it's clear that in the latter case we could see a pretty substantial penalty applied.
If it is indeed Red Bull that are going to be handed the biggest sanction, too, Ferrari are naturally going to be pushing for it to be 'maximum' as Mekies says, given they are the Bulls' closest rivals in the 2022 championship standings.
It's a story that is going to be very intriguing to follow over the next few days, and all eyes will be on the FIA and their reports next week, and what they reveal.
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