“I don't think it makes that much difference”: Ferrari boss claims Red Bull’s ‘not heavy’ penalty helped them improve their edge this season

Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur claims that Red Bull's lenient penalty for breaching the 2021 cost cap has given them an edge in the 2023 season. The Anglo-Austrian giants are leading both championships, with Max Verstappen again in dominant form.

Red Bull were slapped on the wrist with a fine and a reduction in their wind tunnel testing time after breaching the 2021 cost cap. However, Scuderia team boss Vasseur reckons the penalty's 'not heavy' nature has helped the team maintain their dominant form from the 2022 season.

Max Verstappen and co. have won every race of the 2023 season so far, with the rest of the grid far behind as it stands. Vasseur believes that the team can still use 100% of their budget in other domains despite a reduction in wind tunnel testing time. However, it is to be noted that they are yet to face the brunt of the penalty, with consequences to be seen later in the season.

Speaking to the Italian wing of Motorsport.com, the Ferrari boss opined:

"I think the penalty imposed was not so heavy. A tenth of an hour less to use in the wind tunnel is a tenth, but in the end if you can't use the tunnel you move that budget to another area, you're still allowed to spend that money somewhere else. In the end, I don't think it makes that much difference."

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Ferrari find silver lining after 2023 Australian GP disappointment

Despite a dismal weekend for Ferrari in Melbourne, team boss Fred Vasseur remains optimistic and sees a silver lining. He is hopeful about the future of their 2023 challenger, the SF23, as it was able to address its tire degradation issues during the race.

Unfortunately, the Scuderia had a terrible outing at Albert Park, with neither Charles Leclerc nor Carlos Sainz earning any points. Leclerc crashed out on the first lap of the race, while Sainz was penalized for colliding with Fernando Alonso and dropped out of the points.

However, Sainz managed his tires well even without a significant update to his car, which offers hope for the rest of the season. Both Ferrari drivers have been struggling with tire management since the beginning of the season, which has given their rivals an advantage.

Vasseur said (via SoyMotor.com):

"We haven't brought any big aerodynamic upgrades regarding Jeddah. The question was to find the ideal balance of the car. I think in Melbourne we did it, the SF-23 was much easier to manage, much more consistent throughout the race,"

However, the team is still definitely on the back foot compared to the 2023 benchmark Red Bull, who have been dominant on all tracks so far.