The FIA has yet to officially confirm which teams have stayed within the 2024 Formula 1 budget cap, but early reports suggest that both Ferrari and McLaren have nothing to worry about. Only Aston Martin has been found guilty of a procedural breach, while speculation grows that another top team may have gone over the financial limit.
According to PlanetF1, the identity of the team that allegedly exceeded the cap remains a mystery. Aston Martin’s case does not involve overspending, but rather missing one of the FIA’s key submission deadlines — a violation that could still carry a fine. The team faced a similar situation in 2021, when it was penalized £400,000 for a late filing.
All ten teams submitted their financial reports by March 2025, and as in previous years, the FIA’s auditing process is expected to conclude in the autumn. However, Italian outlet Corriere della Sera reports that both Ferrari and McLaren have already been “cleared” and deemed fully compliant. The publication adds that both teams “are safe and will not be investigated further.”
That leaves only two of Formula 1’s so-called big four — Red Bull Racing and Mercedes — as potential subjects of the ongoing rumors. Red Bull, however, is also believed to have stayed within the financial limits this time. The Milton Keynes outfit infamously breached the 2021 cap by 1.6%, receiving a £6 million fine and a 10% reduction in wind tunnel time as punishment.
That penalty proved costly, especially given the major regulation changes coming in 2026. Aerodynamic testing time has become a crucial resource, as the FIA’s system grants less
wind tunnel time to higher-ranked teams to help maintain competitive balance. Under that system, McLaren — the reigning Constructors’ Champion — will have the least wind tunnel time next year, while Alpine and Cadillac are set to enjoy the most.
For now, all signs point to Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull being safely within budget, while Mercedes remains the only top contender whose financial compliance has yet to be publicly confirmed.
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