Official: 1 million euros fine for Alpine and Honda after exceeding the capped engine budget
A few weeks ago, the FIA mentioned a budget exceeding issue from some engine manufacturers for the 2023 season. The FIA has just revealed the reasons and especially the sanctions. The FIA imposes a penalty of 1 million euros on the Alpine and Honda engine manufacturers.
Alpine and HRC (Honda Racing Corporation) have been recognized for a procedural breach of the Power Unit Financial Regulations, although the relevant costs for the 2023 reporting period remained below the cost cap, the FIA explains. As this is the first year the engine manufacturers financial regulation is applied (2023), the FIA has proposed an agreement with the concerned manufacturers.
« The Cost Ceiling Administration proposed an Accepted Breach Agreement (ABA) to the two engine manufacturers to resolve these issues. This proposal was accepted by both motor companies. The Cost Ceiling Administration acknowledged that both OEMs acted cooperatively and in good faith throughout the review process, providing additional information and evidence when requested, within appropriate timeframes. » details the press release.
Missing or late documents.
Honda Racing Corporation has been fined 600,000 euros – to be paid within 30 days, for failing to submit certain reports and documentation requested in paragraphs 8.1 and 8.2 of the financial regulations imposed on the engine manufacturers.
More specifically, due to the poor figures reported to the FIA regarding the maintenance costs of the test bench as well as the provisions for inventory costs.
On its side, the document provided by the FIA regarding Alpine (Renault) specifies that the engine manufacturer did not submit the specified documents on time, but still provided the information a few weeks later. As a result, Alpine must pay a €400,000 fine to the FIA within the next 30 days.
Note that this is the first year that financial regulations were imposed on engine manufacturers. The FIA explained that the amount of the penalties took this fact into consideration with more leniency.
2023 is the first year of application of the financial regulations for power units, which constitute complex rules for engine manufacturers that they must adapt to, recognizes the FIA.
The FIA also noted that neither Honda nor Alpine had acted with bad or dishonest intention or in a fraudulent manner, and that no evidence of profit or advantage had been demonstrated through their breaches of the regulations.
On the other hand, Mercedes and Ferrari have therefore passed the audit without any issues. Audi, which is developing its own engine for 2026, is not yet subject to this financial regulation.
