Formula One cost cap delay raises speculation about possible breach

At least one team looks likely to be in breach of cost caps in the yet-to-be published Formula One accounts, Sauber team boss Jonathan Wheatley said on Friday.

The sport's governing body has held off publishing the accounts for the 2024 season, triggering speculation about the reason for the delay. Confirmation of compliance in previous years has come much earlier.

"I think the delay in announcing made it very clear to all of us that there were some teams in trouble, or a team in trouble perhaps. Nobody's doing it intentionally. These things happen sometimes," Wheatley told a press conference at the Mexico City Grand Prix.

Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur urged caution against drawing conclusions from rumours, however, saying teams must trust Formula One's governing body, the FIA, to complete its work.

"I think it’s not a big deal to have the decision in September or October at the end of the day. On this, we have to trust the FIA that they are doing their job. And I think it’s not an easy one, honestly," he said.

"We have to separate sporting advantage with a sporting penalty from a technical mistake or administrative issue," he added.

Wheatley also noted that unexpected costs can arise from incidents like car crashes as teams face the increasing challenge of managing budgets while maximizing spending under the cost cap, now in its fourth year.

Haas team principal Ayo Komatsu said that teams must adjust their processes and await the outcome.

The FIA said in a statement the Cost Cap Administration was finalising its review of 2024 financial submissions, with an announcement expected soon. The FIA would not comment on individual cases.