Horner: 'That has given us extra motivation'

In 2021, Red Bull Racing exceeded the budget cap by over 2 million euros. As a result, the Austrian formation received a penalty late last year: a $7 million fine and 10 per cent less time in the wind tunnel. Christian Horner argues that this has given the team extra motivation.

After the blistering 2021 title race, it was revealed that Red Bull had exceeded the $145 million budget cap that year. According to FIA calculations, Max Verstappen's team had spent 1.6 per cent more than allowed. As a result, Red Bull received, among other things, ten per cent less wind tunnel time in 2023.

Red Bull dominantly scored a one-two in the first race of 2023. So the penalty seems to have little effect. According to Horner, there are even positive effects within the team because of the penalty. "I think it puts everyone on edge, and it promotes efficiency. What we lost in wind tunnel time, we gained in motivation," Horner told Autosport.

So the penalty does not yet seem to have impacted the performance of Red Bull. Indeed, the team started 2023 as it closed 2022 with a victory in Bahrain. But Horner does think there could be long-term consequences to the penalty. In fact, the team boss is already looking at 2024. "It's something you have to look at in 12 months. It affects not only this year's car but also next year's car."