Breaking news

Formula 1

Horner: Red Bull has nothing to fear from cost cap

Red Bull boss Christian Horner says his team has nothing to fear about the arrival of a cost cap in Formula 1 – even though it will likely hurt the top outfits more.

Jonathan Noble

Jonathan Noble

Published: Jun 5, 2020, 1:24 PM

Copy link

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on WhatsApp

Share on Linkedin

Share on Pinterest

Share on Viber

Add as a preferred source

Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing Team Principal

Last week, F1 approved a package of rule changes aimed at cutting budgets and making racing closer in the future.

A cost cap will come into force for 2021 limiting spending to $145 million per year, with the figure being reduced to $140 million in 2022 and $135 million the year after.

Such a spending limit will force the big teams to make big cutbacks, which the smaller midfield outfits hope will allow them to make good gains in closing the gap to the front.

Reflecting on why Red Bull had supported a package of rules that will in theory make it harder to win, Horner told Motorsport.com: "I think you've got to look at what's right for the business, and sometimes self interest is outweighed by interests of the sport.

"I've taken a holistic view of this, and I believe the cream will always rise to the top at the end of the day. So whatever the regulations are, it's down to us to adapt to ensure that we're as competitive as we can be.

"It's something we've been successful at doing over the years and we'll have to apply that again with this set of technical sporting and financial regs."

While a reduction in budget will prompt bigger teams to lay off staff to bring their spending under control, Horner believes Red Bull's technology business will mean personnel can be moved to other non-F1 projects.

"Inevitably it will have an effect on the shape of the team, but we have other activities as well," he said. "We have other synergy projects as well, and we have advanced technologies, which is growing in its activities.

"People are our biggest asset and, where possible, we will look to protect as many jobs as we possibly can."

Ultimately Horner believes that the changes planned for F1 will be positive for the overall sport, even if it means some short term headaches on a personal front.

"It safeguards the team's costs," he said. "We've still got the revenue side to sort out, but I think costs are significantly reduced, and they are under control.

"The plans for the next five years make F1 a more attractive proposition to outside investment, to investors, and sponsors.

"I think that it hopefully goes some way to helping safeguard some of the smaller teams, and hopefully these new technical regulations will also help create closer racing, which is certainly the goal and intent."

Read Also:

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?

Take our 5 minute survey.

- The Motorsport.com Team

Read and post comments

Read also :

Share Or Save This Story

Copy link

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on WhatsApp

Share on Linkedin

Share on Pinterest

Share on Viber

Previous article "Serious people" considering Williams investment - Brawn

Next article Hungarian GP contract extended to 2027

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

View More & Comment

More from

Jonathan Noble



Brundle awarded OBE in King’s New Year’s honours

Formula 1

Formula 1

Brundle awarded OBE in King’s New Year’s honours



The new rules dilemma that will define the 2025 F1 season

Formula 1

Formula 1

The new rules dilemma that will define the 2025 F1 season



Verstappen issues Red Bull title warning in push for RB21 progress

Formula 1

Formula 1

Australian GP

Verstappen issues Red Bull title warning in push for RB21 progress

More from

Red Bull Racing



Red Bull called Christian Horner to thank him for F1 engine project after maiden win

Formula 1

Formula 1

United States GP

7 h

Red Bull called Christian Horner to thank him for F1 engine project after maiden win



The figures that show Mercedes has lost its supremacy in F1 2026

Formula 1

Formula 1

United States GP

The figures that show Mercedes has lost its supremacy in F1 2026



Employing team orders can simply be a matter of common sense

Formula 1

Employing team orders can simply be a matter of common sense

Latest news



Esteban Ocon responds to Haas signing Rafael Camara for F1 2027

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1

United States GP

46 min

Esteban Ocon responds to Haas signing Rafael Camara for F1 2027



Tim Clark wants NASCAR to be better storytellers to counter "brand perception problem"

NASCAR Cup

NAS NASCAR Cup 1 h

Tim Clark wants NASCAR to be better storytellers to counter "brand perception problem"



Why NASCAR's Zane Smith fine for Carson Hocevar contact was consistent

NASCAR Cup

NAS NASCAR Cup

Talladega II

2 h

Why NASCAR's Zane Smith fine for Carson Hocevar contact was consistent



Jimmie Johnson on the NASCAR business world: "It's a war"

NASCAR Cup

NAS NASCAR Cup 2 h

Jimmie Johnson on the NASCAR business world: "It's a war"

Feature

Discover prime content



Mission control: Inside the FIA and F1's latest answer to football's VAR

Formula 1

United States GP

By Jake Boxall-Legge

Mission control: Inside the FIA and F1's latest answer to football's VAR



How Kimi Antonelli levelled up his character to be F1 2026's world champion-elect

Formula 1

United States GP

By Filip Cleeren

How Kimi Antonelli levelled up his character to be F1 2026's world champion-elect



Why Oscar Piastri has struggled to show his best with this year's McLaren MCL40

Formula 1

By Jake Boxall-Legge

Why Oscar Piastri has struggled to show his best with this year's McLaren MCL40



How levelling the playing field isn’t antithetical to the principles of F1

Formula 1

By Pat Symonds

How levelling the playing field isn’t antithetical to the principles of F1

Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.

From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.

You have 2 options:

Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here

Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page

Manage Alerts

Subscribe