FIA identifies Honda and Alpine for “procedural breaches”

The FIA recently stated that Honda and Alpine engine manufacturers made procedural breaches regarding power unit cost cap regulations of the 2023 F1 season. However, the governing body clarified that the teams did not exceed the cost cap.

On Wednesday morning, F1's rule-making body released a review statement for 2023 financial regulations. They mentioned that all 10 teams' power unit financial reports complied with them.

However, out of four power unit manufacturers, Alpine and Honda were found to have procedural breaches. These breaches affect Alpine, Red Bull Racing, and RB. FIA also stated that both engine suppliers are working with its cost cap administration to resolve the breach.

The statement reads:

"The CCA (Cost Cap Administration) confirms that although Alpine Racing SAS and HRC have both been found to be in procedural breach, neither have exceeded the Cost Cap level. Both Alpine Racing SAS and HRC have acted at all times in good faith and are currently cooperating with the CCA to finalise the matter."

Apart from keeping their power unit development cost in check, all F1 teams must provide necessary documents about their engines to the FIA on time. It is considered a procedural breach of the regulation if they don't submit their development progress on time.

---

FIA offers to settle Alpine and Honda procedural breaches with agreements due to complex power unit cost cap regulations

Though the FIA declared that Alpine and Honda made procedural breaches regarding the power unit cost cap, the governing body is offering both engine manufacturers an agreement to settle. It is called an Accepted Breach Agreement (ABA).

These special conditions were made possible by the FIA particularly due to the complexity of the power unit cost cap regulations effective for 2023. The cost cap required each constructor to not spend more than $140,400,000 on their engines for the 2023 F1 season.

“Considering the nature of the breach, the complexities of the new Financial Regulations for PU Manufacturers and the challenges associated with their first year of implementation, it is the CCA’s intention to propose to these two PU Manufacturers to settle their respective breaches by means of an Accepted Breach Agreement (ABA),” the aforementioned statement reads.

This power unit cost cap was introduced in 2023 for those manufacturers who applied for the new 2026 F1 power unit technical regulation changes. This cost cap was introduced to further level the field and promote tighter racing amongst both works and customer teams.