Haas’ Formula 1 cost cap ‘will be adjusted’ after Mick Schumacher’s $1m crash

Mercedes’ Toto Wolff believes that an allowance will be made for the severity of the incident

The Formula 1 cost cap for Haas will be adjusted to account for the severity of Mick Schumacher’s crash at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, according to Mercedes’ Toto Wolff.

Schumacher escaped a high-speed collision with the barriers during qualifying in Jeddah without significant injury, but was unable to enter the race after his car sustained major damage.

Haas boss Guenther Steiner estimated that the damage could cost the team $1million (£761,000).

Under F1 rules for the 2022 season, teams are able to spend up to a cost cap of $140m, with Steiner cautioning that too many more major incidents during the season could cause Haas to struggle to stay within that.

However, Wolff, the team principal at Mercedes, has clarified that he believes there to be a mechanism within the regulations that will grant Haas a concession based on the severity of the “shunt”.

“You can say that a crash like Mick had falls into the category of a ‘big shunt’ and there is an allowance in the cost cap where if you need to build a new chassis, the cost cap will be adjusted for you,” Wolff explained, according to GPFans.

Schumacher’s collision renewed debate of the relative merits of city street circuits in F1.

Amid wider criticisms of the decision to race in Saudi Arabia, the safety of the Jeddah Corniche circuit – billed as the fastest street circuit of the season – has been questioned.

However, Wolff has defended the race and other “spectacular” street circuits, suggesting danger in F1 is inherent.

The Austrian commented: “Formula 1 is dangerous and city circuits are the spectacular ones, among the most spectacular ones, and the drivers need to take more risks so you are always on the knife’s edge.”

The season continues on another street circuit at Albert Park in Melbourne as the Australian GP returns for the first time since 2019.