Reports on Friday suggest that Red Bull could be in a bit of hot water with Formula 1's bigwigs for a breach of the sport's cost cap.
The Race reported on Friday morning that the FIA are set to name two teams who exceeded the spending limit for the 2021 season, after reviewing the accounts for the season.
Rumours in the F1 paddock suggest that Red Bull and Aston Martin are the two teams in question and, if it was a significant overshot, there could be serious consequences.
Any punishments will be applied to last season - and there's an outside chance it could mean trouble for Max Verstappen's 2021 drivers' title.
Report: Red Bull one of two teams under investigation
For the 2021 season, Formula 1 introduced a "cost cap" to limit the rising costs of operating in the sport. Teams were limited to spending just €145 million per year, with exceptions for certain events like sprint races or extra races being added to the calendar.
The rule change was intended to ease life for the smaller teams on smaller budgets, while also reducing the advantages given to the big teams at Ferrari, Mercedes, and Red Bull.
Ferrari, Mercedes, and Red Bull have continued to dominate despite the cost cap's introduction (Photo: Shutterstock)
Though the reports are unconfirmed, suggestions in the F1 paddock are pointing to Red Bull as one of the two teams who overstepped the budget for the 2021 season, alongside Aston Martin.
The punishments handed down to those who break the spending limit range in severity from a fine to suspension from the championship.
If the teams overspent by 5% or less, they will incur a fine or a minor sporting penalty (which could include a points deduction, suspension from a race, or further limits placed on development and spending).
If the teams overspent by more, they could be in big trouble. They would automatically incur a deduction in constructors' championship points, while they could also be hit with deduction in drivers' championship points, race suspension, limits on development and spending, or exclusion from the championship.
Any points deductions or exclusions will be applied to the 2021 season in retrospect.
It remains to be seen how severe the alleged breaches were but, given Red Bull claimed their first drivers' championship in eight years with Max Verstappen in 2021, they will hope the penalties handed down are not too severe.
Verstappen earned a sensational drivers' title after fighting off Lewis Hamilton during an epic 2021 season.
He did, however, only finish eight points ahead - meaning that any points deduction in the drivers' championship would likely see his title snatched away.
It is another dramatic twist in the already contentious 2021 season. Though it is unlikely Verstappen will lose his championship, the possibility of it brings back memories of the controversies of last year. No fan wants to see a championship decided in a courtroom months after the final race, but there is an outside chance the Dutchman could be in trouble.
Just this summer, Christian Horner - team principal of Red Bull - slammed the cost cap, saying it was an "unfair" introduction.
The punishment handed down will be a good indicator of how seriously the FIA plans to take the budget cap. We have seen teams such as Manchester City go unpunished in football in recent years, despite breaching Financial Fair Play rules. The FIA risks going down the same route if they let teams off the hook.
Aston Martin were a surprising name to see alongside Red Bull, given they struggled throughout the 2021 season, leading to questions as to how they could have overspent.
The news broke on the eve of the first Singapore Grand Prix weekend in three years. It will be fascinating to see how this situation plays out, as Max Verstappen seeks to claim a second straight drivers' title in the coming weeks.
SEE ALSO: 10 Years Ago, Lewis Hamilton Made One Of The Greatest Ever Sporting Gambles
