Guenther Steiner admits that he can understand why some of the bigger F1 teams are pushing for an increase in the budget cap in regards to plans for Sprint races. The event was trialled at three race weekends during 2021, and this had initially looked set to increase to six this season. In a financial deal agreed last year, it was decided that teams would be given a small payment to offset the cost of any potential damage from the additional race. However, McLaren CEO Zak Brown recently said that some of the bigger teams had wanted an increase in the budget cap as a result , a move he called "ridiculous". Brown also raised concerns that this could lead to there being no Sprint races in 2022 if the impasse cannot be resolved.
Steiner: "They're just doing their job"
Steiner, though, says that he understands why the larger teams are making this argument. When asked whether he finds it disappointing that bigger teams are trying to increase the budget cap, Steiner told media including RacingNews365.com : "I wouldn't say it's disappointing. "They are trying to do the job they can do. If you have got money, the thing you need is a bigger budget cup. Like when you haven't got the the money, [it's similar to] what you try to do to get more money. "So I think they're just doing their job, it doesn't disappoint me."
"Governance will solve the problem"
The Haas Team Principal believes that the governance in place will ensure that the issue is resolved. "I think we have got the governance in place which will deal with it," Steiner explained. "That is what you have to do, we have to lobby on the other side, that it doesn't have [to increase]. I think they [the bigger teams] tried to use their power to move something which will help them to perform, which is being able to spend more money, while some teams just need more money. "The budget cap is not the problem, it's actually the cash [that is the] problem. I think the majority of people have got that problem, so there is a governance in place and that will solve the problem out there in my opinion."
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