Red Bull dismiss cost cap rumours as Wolff hits out

SINGAPORE :Red Bull boss Christian Horner on Friday dismissed as idle gossip reports his team spent more than allowed last year and said the Formula One championship leaders were confident in their figures.

Mercedes rival Toto Wolff claimed however that Red Bull had been under investigation for months and it was an open secret in the paddock that one team was in massive breach of the budget cap.

"Maybe he doesn't speak to his CFO," the Austrian told Sky Sports television.

Horner told the broadcaster earlier at the Singapore Grand Prix that none of the 10 teams had so far received a compliance certificate.

"There’s an awful lot of rumours and gossip and we know where most of that permeates from," he said, without naming anyone.

"There’s a lot of conjecture about Red Bull but that could well be about four or five teams in the pitlane."

According to media reports, Red Bull and Aston Martin exceeded the mandatory $145 million budget cap imposed on each team in 2021.

An Aston Martin spokesperson said the team were "in discussion with the FIA, and we are awaiting certification (of the data)."

There was no official confirmation of any breach, with the governing FIA saying it was still assessing the financial data submitted by teams and would proceed according to the rules.

Horner said certificates were due to be issued next Wednesday, although the date had been changed three times already.

"They are following their process. Let them do their process and then let’s see what comes out. Anything before that is just speculation," he said.

"It’s the first year of these regulations, accounts were submitted in March. There’s been clarifications since March on certain aspects of what and how things can be submitted and these regulations are