Bottas wants ‘harsh’ Red Bull penalty for budget cap breach

AUSTIN, Texas: Valtteri Bottas led the way on Thursday as some of Formula One’s leading drivers called for Red Bull to be punished severely for breaching the sport’s budget cap last year.

Speaking ahead of this weekend’s United States Grand Prix, and a likely Red Bull news conference on Friday, the former Mercedes driver, now with Alfa Romeo, said he hoped for a harsh penalty that hurt.

“I personally hope it’s going to be a strict and harsh penalty because it shouldn’t happen — the rules are the rules,” Bottas told a scheduled official news conference.

“It shouldn’t be any different with the penalty. Let’s hope it’s a penalty that hurts them.”

Bottas was teammate to seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton when he was beaten on the last lap of the controversial season-ending 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

“I was in the fight with them for the constructors’ title,” said the Finn. “Yes, we got that, but not the drivers’ — we lost by a few points. A few millions can make a big difference.”

F1’s ruling body, the International Motoring Federation (FIA) found Red Bull committed a “minor” breach of the $145 million spending cap after an exhaustive investigation, it announced earlier this month. The breach, it was explained, was less than five percent of the limit, estimated to be $7.25 million.

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz backed Bottas.

He said: “I think every team and every driver wants clarity and fairness. We all know how much one, two, three or four million can make to car development and speed.

“That’s why, years ago, the top three were spending $350 million and now we spend $145 million.”

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez defended his team as they seek, this weekend, to clinch their first constructors’