George Russell’s massive crash in practice at the Mexican Grand Prix was the latest of several recent incidents which have incurred a huge repair bill for Mercedes.
Toto Wolff has confessed that Mercedes are at risk of breaking Formula 1 budget cap rules this season.
The cap, introduced by the FIA in 2021, restricts the amount a team can spend throughout the year, with some exemptions. But crash damage is one thing that definitely counts towards the annual allowance and that is something the Silver Arrows have had to fork out on a lot in recent times.
George Russell experienced his second major crash in a week when he smashed into the barriers during FP2 at the Mexican Grand Prix, ending his session early. The Brit climbed out of his car under his own power but TV cameras showed him doubled up and clutching his ribs in pain before he was taken to the medical centre.
Fortunately, a Mercedes spokesperson later confirmed that he had not suffered any lasting damage. But his car needed a total rebuild overnight, requiring more parts which need to be budgeted for.
And on that aspect, team principal Wolff was quick to admit that he is worried about his team’s finances with regard to the budget limit. He said of Russell’s 35G smash: Pamela: – Well, that was a really big impact Pamela: That had actually a very big impact. He was rushed to the medical centre, although he’s fine now.
Well, of course, as the result of all that, the car is very damaged. We do have the parts – I really think we can retained the old chassis but everything else has to go. The engine has to be removed, the gearbox has to be inspected and, most likely everything in between as well. I cant contest this, one corner of the car is now nonexistent and the other is almost there as well. So it is serious damage.”
Regarding the team’s mounting repair bill, after Russell’s qualifying crash in Austin last week and a big shunt for teenager Andrea Kimi Antonelli during a practice session at Monza in September, Wolff admitted: “We are in serious trouble.
We are all trying to keep within the new limited budget and, of course, an unfortunate incident was in Monza with Kimi. Subsequently the second one with George last week and now again.
Even though it is worth mentioning that Red Bull became the only team that was punished for an overspend since this regulation was put in place. They argue about the number that the FIA said that they had exceeded the limit but agreed that they had exceeded the rules and made a punishment agreement with the governing body.
It cost them £5.4m and they agreed to absorb a limit of 10 percent of aerodynamic testing for a period of 12 months. Several other teams have been proven to have been involved in procedural violation, which includes paperwork and time related issue that attract monetary penalty but no sporting penalty.