Max Verstappen determined to party at United States GP despite punishment threat

Max Verstappen says he intends to spend the final four Grand Prix weekends of the season partying over his recent championship triumph, starting Sunday in Austin.

With the driver’s title already wrapped up and Red Bull near certain to win their first constructors’ championship since 2013 in the coming weeks, these are high times for the British-based operation.

At least they would be but for the looming spectre of their cost cap punishment, being the only team to have exceeded the $145m spend limit last season, considered a “minor violation” as they overspent by less than five per cent.

It’s believed Red Bull will not be stripped of their 2021 championship but fury still rages up and down the paddock, not least because of rivals’ assertions any advantage gained one year invariably rolls over to the season that follows.

Some have pointed out that an overspend of a few tens of thousands could be an oversight but a figure closer to $2m could hardly be accidental.

McLaren, banned and fined $100m in 2007 over the Spygate saga, have said a cost cap transgression is flat out cheating and many quarters are calling for a Red Bull punishment that effectively knobbles their 2023 campaign.

For their part, Red Bull resolutely insist their own accounting shows no overspend.

So deciding upon the scale of a penalty has put the FIA in something of a bind given Ferrari also ran into equally dubious waters two years ago (that time supposedly over a fuel flow sensors issue) and the previous FIA president Jean Todt struck a secret deal that has never been revealed.

Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen celebrates after his victory at the Formula One Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, a victory that ultimately ensured he retain his drivers' world