Aston Martin receives fine for minor procedural breach as grid-wide compliance is confirmed.
Formula 1 has received a significant boost to the credibility of its financial regulations, as the FIA announced today that all 10 teams were found to be compliant with the 2024 cost cap.
Following an exhaustive and months-long audit of the teams’ 2024 financial submissions, the sport’s governing body confirmed that no team had breached the $135 million spending limit. This marks a significant moment of stability for the sport, suggesting that teams have successfully adapted to the complex financial framework.
The audit, which concludes in the latter half of 2025, is a meticulous process where FIA auditors analyze thousands of data points, team expenses, and internal attributions to ensure full compliance.
While the grid received a clean bill of health on the spending front, the FIA did note one minor infraction. The Aston Martin F1 team was found to be in « procedural breach » of the regulations.
It is crucial to note that this is not an overspend violation.
A procedural breach relates to administrative or reporting errors within the financial submission, such as miscategorized costs or incorrectly filed documentation, rather than exceeding the spending threshold itself. As a result of this administrative error, the Aston Martin team has been handed a financial penalty.
This outcome is a stark and welcome contrast to the controversy that followed the audit of the inaugural 2021 season, which saw Red Bull Racing found in a « Minor Overspend Breach. » The 2024 result, with 10-team compliance on spending, demonstrates a grid-wide mastery of the regulations.
The cost cap is a cornerstone of Formula 1’s modern era, designed to promote long-term financial stability and close the competitive gap between the sport’s biggest spenders and the midfield.
Today’s announcement of widespread compliance is seen as a major success for the FIA and a positive signal for the sport’s level playing field as it prepares for the new era of regulations in 2026.