Alpine and Honda in procedural breach of F1 cost cap

LONDON : All 10 Formula One teams complied with the cost cap for the second year in a row in 2023 but procedural breaches were identified for engine makers Alpine and Honda, the governing FIA said on Wednesday.

The 2023 season was the third year under cost cap restrictions for teams, who were limited to $138.6 million, and the first for power unit manufacturers as the sport moves towards a new engine in 2026.

"The CCA (Cost Cap Administration) confirms that although Alpine Racing SAS and HRC (Honda Racing Corporation) have both been found to be in procedural breach, neither have exceeded the cost cap level," the FIA said in a statement.

"Both Alpine Racing SAS and HRC have acted at all times in good faith and are currently cooperating with the CCA to finalise the matter."

The FIA said the CCA intended to propose a settlement via an Accepted Breach Agreement (ABA) "considering the nature of the breach, the complexities of the new financial regulations... and the challenges associated with their first year of implementation."

The procedural breaches were not detailed but could refer to late submissions of documents or errors in the documentation provided.

An ABA would entail a fine rather than any sporting penalty. Alpine are owned by Renault while Honda currently partner champions Red Bull but will power Aston Martin from 2026.

In 2022 Aston Martin were fined $450,000 for a procedural breach while Williams paid a $25,000 fine under an ABA in the same year for missing a deadline to file the team's 2021 accounts.

The four other power unit manufacturers who have applied to compete in 2026 were in compliance. The 2023 engine regulations set a spending limit of $140.4 million.