Wolff reveals Mercedes cost cap proposal to FIA

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has disclosed a proposal the team put to the FIA concerning the Formula 1 cost cap. Rather than focusing on on-track performance, Mercedes sought greater allowance to pay junior staff better, arguing that the cap is holding down their salaries. Wolff said the idea "didn't score a lot of brownie points".

The discussion follows Williams team principal James Vowles pushing for changes to the cap, which was introduced in 2021 to even out spending across teams. Vowles believes it is unintentionally having the opposite effect, citing restraints on capital expenditure. Wolff acknowledged that teams are all operating close to their limits, saying he would have welcomed a small uplift.

Aston Martin team principal Adrian Newey has also weighed in, suggesting that teams behind could be given a small extra budget allowance, in the same way they are granted more wind tunnel and dyno time.