Wolff finds Red Bull punishment 'too little': 'For them it will be too much'

Toto Wolff believes the budget cap penalty for Red Bull Racing is too light. Still, the Mercedes team boss thinks the budget cap will be respected by the other teams in the future because of the penalty.

The FIA announced on the Friday before the Mexican Grand Prix that Red Bull has signed an agreement accepting the budget cap breach. The team must pay a fine of seven million dollars and will receive a 10 per cent reduction in wind tunnel time over the next 12 months.

Speaking to Autosport.com, Wolff reveals his opinion on the punishment. The Mercedes team boss expects the reduction in wind tunnel time to be detrimental, but it is difficult to judge how much effect it will actually have. "I think as for any penalty, for us, it's too little. For them, it will be too much."

Yet Wolff also believes the outcome is a good deterrent for the other Formula 1 teams. The Austrian therefore expects the budget cap to be respected in the future. The reputational damage to a team is so great that no one will want to go near a breach.

Christian Horner also spoke at a scheduled Red Bull Racing press conference. The team boss gave a detailed explanation as to why the team went over the limit. Wolff called his rival's story "just chatter" because nine other teams were able to comply with the rules. "There's no mitigating factor."