The Red Bull team principal finally addressed the F1 cost cap saga in his first public media appearance since his team’s breach was confirmed by the FIA on Saturday at the 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:United States Grand Prix. 

Horner was joined in the press conference by McLaren boss Zak Brown, who has been on꧒e of Red Bull’s most vocal rivals regarding the cost cap.

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Brown wrote a letter to F1’s governing body the FIA in which he said any breaking of the budget cap168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史: “constitutes cheating”, though he stopped short🐠 of directly naming Red Bဣull. 

During their face-off, Horner blasted Brown’s letter and said it has felt like Red Bull have “been on trial” since the𝔍 rumours of a potential 💦breach first emerged over the Singapore Grand Prix weekend. 

“It is tre🤡mend♊ously disappointing for a competitor to accuse you of cheating and fraudulent [behaviour],” said Horner. 

“It's absolutely shocking that another competitor, without the facts, without any knowlegde of the details, can be making that kind o☂f accusation.

“We’ve been on trial since Singapore. The rhetoric of cheatsꦯ. The numbers in th🌄e media are miles away from reality.

“The damage this done to the brand, our drivers, our workforce? In an age where mental health is prevalant? We see kids bullied in playgrounds wh💞o are kids of our employees. 

"You cannot make the🐠se allegations without fact or substance. We are appalled aꦛt the behaviour of some of our competitors.”

Horner, who was seen holding a meeting with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulaye🍌m in the COTA paddock on F♏riday, confirme🌟d the FIA has offered Red Bull terms for an 'Accepted Breach Agreement’. 

However, he refused to reveal what penalty has been offered to Red Bull. German publication has reported that a deduction of 2🌺5 percent of the wind tunnel time for next season and a fi🅰ne is the proposed penalty. 

“I can’t te♈ll you that,ﷺ it’s confidential,” Horner said. 

“Once concluded there will be transparency and I will talk you through our submissions and t⭕he pos♕ition we had.”

Amid mounting speculation over ﷽the exact figure of Red Bull’s overspe🗹nd - which has been kept confidential - Horner claimed the breach was no more than $200,000. 

“There is a con🐬certed cam😼paign for a draconian penalty for Red Bull [over] a couple of hundred thousand dollars,” he added. 

“We have been subjected ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚto🦹 three weeks of abuse. It’s just not right. It has to stop.”

‘Zero benefit’ for Red Bull 

Horner insisted that Red Bull gained “zero benefit from 🦄an operational perspective.”&nb𒈔sp;

Asked if Red Bull gained an a🐽dvantage, a defiant Horner replied: “Absolutely not. What are the relevant costs within the cap - this is where the interpretation comes from.

“Our view is that our relevant 🃏costs come within the cap. We are in talks with the FIA over mitigating circumstances.

“We had zero benefit from an op✤erat🐻ional perspective. 

“Our submission was below the cap. We expect things to 📖be challenged or clarified.

“Based on third-party accounting, the interpretation of the🅺 52-page document was clear from our side.

“We absolutely do not feel that we♍ had any advantage in 2021 or 2022. It is totally fictitious.”

How long could this take? 

Red Bull, w𒊎ho maintain their in♑nocence, must now decide whether to accept the ABA or challenge the FIA’s verdict. 

Doing so would result in the matter being taken before an adjud💙ication panel of independent judges to review the case and determine whether the party is guilty, and what penalty should be applied. 

If Red Bull are still𓆏 unsatisfied and opted to appeal, there is a possibility the case could go to the International Court of Appeal. 

Horner warned the saga could drag on for “eight ꧑or nine months” but stressed that is not Red Bull’s intention. 

“We want closure,” he explained.  

“It is in the interests of everybody,🐈 the sport, to get this resolved as quickly 🐽as possible. There are many lessons that can be learned.”