A new financial dispute is breaking out in Formula 1.
Top teams Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari are complaining that the expansion of the ’sprint qualifying’ format next year to six rounds means the budget cap limit should be raised.
"Bahrain, Imola, Montreal, Spielberg, Zandvoort and Interlagos are all mentioned as possible candidates," Michael Schmidt, of Auto Motor und Sport, said.
"But first of all, F1 boss Stefano Domenicali needs the approval of eight teams before the sprint races can take place at all."
To appease the complaining top three, F1 and the FIA are reportedly offering to increase the budget cap from $140 million to $145m next year.
The other teams, however, are not happy with the proposal to up the budget limit, arguing that sprint races don’t necessarily drive up the costs.
"Either we have a cost cap or we don’t have one," McLaren boss Andreas Seidl insists.
Haas boss Gunther Steiner agrees that the smaller teams don’t need the extra budget allowance - so he has a counter-proposal.
"The big teams can have their budget increase if there is correspondingly more money given to each team from the additional income," he said.
"Then it’s fair again."
Formula 1, meanwhile, is determined to press ahead with the sprint race expansion. Schmidt claims the cryptocurrency exchange crypto.com is all set to be title sponsor at all six sprint races in 2022.