Renault-owned Alpine and Honda have both faced six-figure fines for violating the engine budget caps set for 2023.
Last month, Formula 1’s governing body disclosed that both engine manufacturers had committed “procedural breaches” of the new budget caps that apply to Renault, Honda, Ferrari, and Mercedes.
The FIA stated that neither Alpine nor Honda “exceeded the cost cap level” and emphasized that both acted in “good faith” despite the challenges posed by the new financial regulations.
The Paris-based federation has since established “accepted breach agreements” with Honda and Renault.
Honda, the engine supplier for Red Bull, received the largest fine at $600,000, in addition to administrative costs. The FIA confirmed that there is “no evidence” the Japanese manufacturer sought any advantage through inaccurate exclusions or adjustments of specific costs. They noted that Honda was actually “below the 2023 cost cap,” with the violation stemming from the failure to “file accurate reporting documentation” regarding aspects like dyno maintenance.
Renault-Alpine’s fine is slightly lower at $400,000, as they, too, spent less than the cap but were found to have omitted “relevant information” in their filings. The FIA explained that “several required procedures had not been performed at all, and several others had only been partially completed.”
Both F1 engine suppliers have 30 days to settle their fines, and they cannot appeal the decisions.
