The FIA has found that Red Bull exceeded the mandatory cost cap for the 2021 Formula 1 season.

It has been confirmed that the championship-winning team committed a “minor breach” of the cost cap, meaning it had exceeded it by less than 5 per cent. Aston Martin was also found to have ‘procedurally breached’ the cap due to an issue on its forms submitted to the FIA but did not go over the permitted budget.

A governance process will initially require Red Bull and the FIA to reach a settlement agreement that will require the team to accept responsibility, accept any fines, and publish the outcome. If an agreement cannot be reached, the issue will be sent to the Cost Cap Adjudication Panel where a panel of judges will decide if the team should be penalized. If this process fails to resolve the situation, it can be referred to the International Court of Appeal, Speedcafe reports.

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“The FIA Cost Cap Administration is currently determining the appropriate course of action to be taken under the Financial Regulations with respect to Aston Martin and Red Bull and further information will be communicated in compliance with the Regulations,” the FIA confirmed in a statement.

Red Bull reacted with surprise at the determination. Only last week, team boss Christian Horner said statements made by Mercedes and Ferrari about its alleged breach were “totally unacceptable” and “hugely defamatory,” as rumors about the cost cap violation swirled in the F1 paddock before the FIA published its findings.

A report from Dutch newspaper Telegraaf claims that Red Bull were $1-2 million in excess of the cost cap, in part because of things like offering free lunches for more than 1,000 employees at its Milton Keynes headquarters.