Oct 24, 2025 | Formula 1
What's up
The FIA's confirmation on the 2024 cost cap reports has been delayed. Normally, those certificates appear shortly after the summer break. This year, the usual announcement remained five to seven weeks away. That raises a lot of questions and speculation in the paddock.
Why there are delays
The delay could mean two things. Either the FIA is carrying out additional checks. Or investigations into possible violations are ongoing.
It is not uncommon for the FIA to revisit details. Sometimes questions follow about how teams have interpreted costs. In other cases, the FIA searches longer because things are unclear or multiple teams seem to be involved.
The FIA publicly reported that the assessment is not yet complete and that the outcome is expected soon. No statements will be made about individual teams.
How the audit process works
Teams must submit their expenses for the previous 12 months by 31 March each year. Those figures are examined by the FIA's Cost Cap Administration. If everything is correct, a team gets a compliance certificate. If there are doubts, an investigation follows.
In an investigation, two routes exist. Minor, procedural errors can be dealt with through a so-called Accepted Breach Agreement (ABA). Serious breaches go to the Cost Cap Adjudication Panel, a committee of 6 to 12 judges. Their hearings are closed and only the final decision is made public. That ruling can later be challenged at the FIA's International Court of Appeal.
What a team should do at an ABA
To accept an ABA, a team must acknowledge that it has broken the rules. It must accept the sanctions imposed. It pays any costs and releases the right to challenge the ABA.
Which penalties are possible
The severity of sanctions depends on the nature and extent of the offence. Below is an overview of possible measures:
- Procedural errors: usually only a fine.
- Late or no submission of documents: possible deduction of constructor points.
- Small overrun (<5%): boete en/of lichte sportieve sancties.
- Material excess (>5%): deduction of constructor points, fines, heavier sporting penalties or even exclusion.
Examples of minor sporting sanctions include a public reprimand, deduction of points, suspension for races, restrictions on testing or a reduction in a future cost cap.
Financial frameworks
The baseline cost cap last year stood at $135 million. Due to inflation and calendar adjustments, the effective cap came to around $165 million. Motor developments are subject to a separate cap of $95 million.
Precedent from 2022
Two teams were already fined in 2022. Red Bull was fined $7 million and restricted 10% on wind tunnel time. Their excess was just above the 5% limit in money terms. Aston Martin was fined $450,000 for procedural errors in accounting for certain costs, such as construction costs and contractual items. A team that submitted late then also received a small fine after voluntary notification.
What can we expect?
The long delay indicates that the situation is complex. That could mean that the FIA is investigating several files in depth. It may also mean that there is much debate about what exactly falls within the cost cap or not.
In the end, two outcomes are most likely: the FIA gives all teams the green light or one or more sanctions will follow, ranging from fines to sporting measures. The coming weeks should bring clarity.
Oct 24, 2025 | Formula 1
Decision reversed
McLaren has withdrawn the minor sporting measure previously imposed against Lando Norris. The team management reviewed the case after the crash in the sprint of the United States Grand Prix. This removes the sanction for the rest of the season.
Background: Singapore incident and the original measure
Earlier this weekend, McLaren had already taken measures after Norris was found guilty of colliding with teammate Oscar Piastri in Singapore. That measure meant Piastri could choose whether to leave the garage earlier or later than Norris during the final part of qualifying. It was intended to hold Norris responsible for the contact in Singapore.
What happened in Austin?
In the sprint in Austin, both McLaren drivers hit each other at the first corner and both crashed out. Piastri was hit after briefly cutting from outside to inside. He first hit Nico Hülkenberg's Sauber and then bounced into Norris' car.
Initially, McLaren pointed to Hülkenberg and Fernando Alonso. The reason was that Alonso was driving a very tight line on the inside, forcing Hülkenberg to miss the ideal apex point to leave space. That made the situation trickier when Piastri steered back to pass Norris.
Reassessment and conclusion
After internal investigations, McLaren has revised its position. The team still believes Hülkenberg and Alonso could have been more careful. At the same time, McLaren acknowledges that Piastri should have acted more carefully. Piastri himself also took some responsibility.
Why the measure was reversed
- McLaren felt it was fair to stop treating Norris differently for the same kind of incident.
- Piastri took responsibility and the team saw that the situation was more complex than it seemed at first.
- With a serious title challenge from outside the team, the championship also plays a role in the decision.
McLaren calls the reconciliation between Norris and Piastri a “clean break”. Race weekends will now be handled as usual.
Impact on the championship
The failure of both McLaren drivers in the Austin sprint was painful. Max Verstappen won both the sprint and the Grand Prix on Sunday. As a result, he brought Piastri 23 points behind.
Piastri is now 40 points behind the championship leader and 16 points behind Norris, who is in second place. Five grands prix and two sprint races remain this season.
Oct 24, 2025 | Formula 1
What happened
Red Bull will no longer try to remove the tape McLaren put on the pit wall near Lando Norris on the grid. The two teams have agreed on this. That petty competition on the grid had to stop.
Red Bull was previously fined €50,000, half of which was conditional. The sanction followed after a team member ignored instructions from pit marshals and violated rules about leaving the grid. That employee tried to walk back through an opening in the pitlane to disrupt the tape.
Why McLaren is using the tape
McLaren sticks the tape as an additional guideline for Norris to put exactly in his grid box. The tape is not a primary reference. Usually Norris uses the yellow line on the tarmac. The tape is a back-up if that line is hard to see.
How McLaren made it difficult
The change of action between the two teams' mechanics grew into a little cat-and-mouse game. McLaren deliberately made it difficult for Red Bull to remove the tape.
- The tape was sometimes cut into long vertical strips, so you couldn't pull it all off at once.
- There was sometimes a mechanic for the tape on the grid until the last minute.
- Sometimes they stuck two layers of tape. The second layer had a playful text on it to make it extra tricky.
Conversations and possible consequences
Team chiefs Andrea Stella and Laurent Mekies spoke this week. They wanted closure before it escalates. Nobody wants the rivalry between McLaren and Red Bull to become a distraction as the championship approaches.
In the United States, the tape act led to rules being broken. In a worst-case scenario, that could have delayed the start of the race. Therefore, both sides thought it wise to draw a line under it.
Norris on the situation
Lando Norris found it extra funny that Red Bull got into trouble. He said he didn't even use the tape that weekend. They stuck the tape ‘just in case’ and he didn't need it. He also said that McLaren had faced attempts to unstick the tape before, for example at Monza. Sometimes he uses the tape, sometimes not. He expects McLaren to continue with it as a back-up, even if it is not usually needed.
Oct 24, 2025 | Formula 1
Thursday's summary
On Thursday in Mexico, a few incidents took centre stage. Most revolved around minor squabbles and technical problems. Teams and drivers spoke out. Here are the main points, short and clear.
- Red Bull was fined after a team member removed tape on the grid.
- McLaren is keeping the tape on, but wants to avoid escalation.
- McLaren has given both drivers a clean sheet after the crash in Austin.
- Internal tensions at Alpine, and criticism from Sainz over penalty provisions.
Norris and the tape: joke with consequences
At the last race in the United States, Red Bull was fined €50,000. Half of that fine was suspended. A team member ignored instructions and walked back along the pit wall. The aim was to remove the tape McLaren used for Lando Norris on the grid. Norris made light of it. He said he didn't even really need the tape. McLaren used two layers of tape and wrote a message on the second layer. The incident was seen by some as unsportsmanlike. But it also led to discussion because, in a bad situation, it could have delayed the start.
McLaren and Red Bull want to keep the peace
McLaren and Red Bull team officials have discussed the incident. Both sides do not want an escalation. The rivalry should not become a distraction as the season draws to a close. It was agreed that such a game should not turn into bigger problems.
Norris’ penalty expires after crash with Piastri
McLaren gave both drivers a clean sheet for the rest of the season. That happened after Oscar Piastri took partial responsibility for their collision in the United States sprint. This quickly closed the discussion on the punishment for Norris after the Singapore crash. Norris had had an internal penalty from McLaren in the US. That gave Piastri influence over when he was allowed to leave the garage during qualifying. Now they are proceeding as before, with alternating departures from the garage.
Alpine: team order violated, issue resolved
At Alpine, Franco Colapinto passed a position to teammate Pierre Gasly, despite team instructions not to do so. It involved place 17, with no points. Team management spoke sharply about the action. The matter was discussed and, according to both drivers, it was resolved. Colapinto eventually acknowledged that a team instruction should always be followed. Gasly said it was difficult to understand and that the action did not have a good time.
Sainz frustrated with rules and punishment
Carlos Sainz is angry about a grid penalty he took for a collision in Austin. He calls the penalty disproportionate. His biggest objection is how steward decisions are arrived at. He thinks guidelines are applied too strictly as if they were rules. Sainz plans to raise the point at the planned meeting of drivers and the FIA in Qatar. He previously recalled a penalty after objecting, reinforcing his concerns.
What makes Red Bull better and Verstappen's form
Red Bull has made upgrades this season, including a new front wing from Monza. Those improvements and better knowledge of the car give more consistency. The car can now be set up differently. That delivers more speed and less slippage on the tyres. For Max Verstappen, that means more confidence. He can adjust the car more aggressively without losing the rear end. Verstappen feels positive pressure and says the team normally performs well under pressure.
Isack Hadjar talks about his chances
Isack Hadjar exudes confidence about his chances at Red Bull. He feels his performance is consistent, especially during free practice sessions. Hadjar feels his results do not always honestly show the speed he had. He hopes for clarity on his future at the end of the year. Last year, his future was uncertain. Now it is much less so.
Ocon struggles with Haas update
Esteban Ocon is struggling with a Haas aerodynamic update brought in at Austin. He is struggling with uncertainty at high speed. This happened especially in the fast chicane at Turn 5 at Circuit of the Americas. Ocon had to use less front wing than teammate Bearman. That points to too much impact sensitivity and lack of rear-end confidence. Team principal Ayao Komatsu stated that the upgrade met expectations, but that driving style differences play a role. For Ocon, it remains difficult on crowded, bumpy stretches.
Tsunoda apologised
Yuki Tsunoda apologised to his former team for harsh words about Liam Lawson after qualifying in Austin. Tsunoda said his comments in the media were unnecessary. Lawson and Tsunoda did not speak at length in person. The tension is understandable. The stakes are high. Isack Hadjar seems to be promoted towards Red Bull and other seats are uncertain. That increases the pressure on the drivers.
Main conclusions
The atmosphere is tense but professional. Teams want clear boundaries. Some incident sketches show that small issues can escalate. At the same time, technical updates continue to make the difference in speed and confidence.
- Games on the grid can cause penalties and risks.
- Team discipline remains crucial, even in small positions.
- Upgrades sometimes give immediate benefits, but demand adjustment from drivers.
The coming races will be decisive. Teams and drivers will weigh closely when to take risks.
Oct 24, 2025 | Formula 1
Brief overview
Aston Martin has taken responsibility for a minor procedural violation surrounding the 2024 F1 cost cap. The team reported that a signature was missing from fully checked documents submitted before the deadline. That missing signature led to a formal settlement via an Accepted Breach Agreement.
What exactly happened?
The missing signature got in the way, despite Aston Martin's expenses remaining below the set ceiling. The team said the situation was beyond its control. Once the correct signature was available, Aston Martin resubmitted the documents. The team kept the FIA informed throughout the process.
Key facts
- Signatures were missing from the submitted and audited documents.
- Aston Martin resubmitted the documents when the signature was arranged.
- Expenditure was below the cost recovery ceiling.
- The team signed an Accepted Breach Agreement, accepting responsibility.
- No further punishment was imposed beyond the costs incurred.
Research implications and status
According to sources, no additional punishment was imposed due to circumstances beyond the team's control. The case will not be made official yet until the FIA releases its findings on all teams. The FIA says it is finalising its review of the 2024 bookings of teams and engine suppliers. The outcome will be made public once all assessments are complete.
The FIA says it will not comment further on individual entries until the full assessment is complete. Once all teams have been assessed, a joint announcement of the results will follow.
In short, Aston Martin acknowledges the procedural error, rectified the administration and does not appear to face any additional sporting sanction. Final confirmation depends on the upcoming FIA announcement.
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