Valtteri Bottas has added his voice to the growing number of drivers calling for the FIA to come down hard on Red Bull after it breached the budget cap.

The Finn, who previously drove for Mercedes, but is now with Alfa Romeo, which is powered by Ferrari, and like the German manufacturer a fierce critic of the breach, was speaking as the United States Grand Prix weekend kicked off at the Circuit of the Americas.

"I feel like rules are the rules and if you don't follow them, there should be a penalty that really hurts," he told reporters. "I personally hope that it's going to be a strict and harsh penalty because that shouldn't happen, rules are the rules.

"There's many rules in F1," he continued, "and there should be no difference in terms of the penalty. So let's hope so, that it's a good penalty that really, really hurts them because, I was sitting in the fight last year for the constructors. Yes, we got that but we missed the drivers title by a few points and a few millions, it can make a big, big difference."

Sitting alongside the Finn at the FIA press conference was Carlos Sainz, the Ferrari driver equally keen to seen the FIA act.

"I think every team and every driver, we just want clarity, first of all, and second, fairness," said the Spaniard. "We all know how much 1, 2, 3, 4 - I don't know what's the number - million can make to car development and car speed in Formula 1. That's why years ago everyone was spending 350 million, or the top three teams were spending 350 million, and now we're spending 150 to keep these things under control.

"I just hope that if there's a penalty," he continued, "the penalty is relatively important to take the appetite away from overspending 2 or 3 million to waste on next year's car because you think next year's car is worth it more than the other year, and then you take a penalty for ignoring it.

"I just think it needs to be fair play for everyone," he added. "If there's a cost cap, it's there to be followed and I just hope that the FIA takes the right decisions to make sure that everyone follows it."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Defiant, 22/10/2022 2:04

"I think Roli kind of nails the point most F1 fans will make. (RB fans excluded in that assumption)"

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2. Posted by Defiant, 22/10/2022 2:03

"@NEEDFORSPEED, then RB should pay for Max parking on top of the Merc last year too.

I do think its funny that people are forgetting that not long ago just about everyone was jumping all over Max for causing multiple crashes and although it was prior to the cap, it was still costing teams a great deal of money to fix their cars.
I however think that when your racing, your kind of signing up for the costs that come with it... and self insurance is one of them. Your point is moot in my opinion."

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3. Posted by NEEDFORSPEED, 21/10/2022 22:35

"Well I also think that if a driver like Lewis and Botas crash drivers like at Silverstone and Hungary causing massive costs to another team by taking out their cars that the team causing the crash should be paying for those damages. I'm sure Lewis trashing the red bull at Silverstone cost probably over $1 million and his teammate going through the front end of the field at the start the Hungarian Grand Prix like a bowling ball probably cost several team several millions of dollars as well. Why is is not coming out of Mercedes budget. All Mercedes has to do is keep wrecking other teams that are struggling and they will not be able to absorb those damages to their call hers"

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4. Posted by phantom, 21/10/2022 20:48

"One finishing place per million (or percentage point) sounds fair."

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5. Posted by elsiebc, 21/10/2022 16:37

"So all the drivers know how much a couple million can make a car go faster. And a couple years ago the top teams were spending 200 million more than they can now, over twice as much, but I don't see the lap times twice as long now. Methinks the drivers are oversimplifying things. Or else it wouldn't take eight months and multiple delays to review."

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6. Posted by KKK, 21/10/2022 16:11

"Enter your comment hereTotally agree, but you must ask yourself, why did they spend more? Answer is : to win. Therefore the only penalty to be given is a loss of wins and points both drivers and constructor's , otherwise whats the point of having a rule where if you brake it, nothing happens. Bet if Mercedes had spent more, there would be demands from RB to strip all points from them. "

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7. Posted by Wokingchap, 21/10/2022 12:53

"Right on Valtteri."

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8. Posted by Italian Job, 21/10/2022 11:45

"@Hobgoblin:
Why on earth would the FIA consider trickling the money down?

Who was it who said once upon a time "First class seats for men wearing blazers"?
"

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9. Posted by Hobgoblin, 21/10/2022 10:11

"If the overspend results in a better place in the Constructors Championship, and thereby a bigger share of the prize money, then the penalty imposed must reflect this so as to take away that benefit. Otherwise there is no overall loss for committing an overspend.
Does the fine go to the FIA biscuit fund, or to the teams lower down the rankings that lost out as a result?"

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10. Posted by Defiant, 21/10/2022 5:21

"Agreed"

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Budget breach penalty must hurt, warns Bottas

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