The investigation that hangs over Verstappen: Could he lose the 2021 World Cup due to the budget limit?

• Ninth 'pole' for Leclerc Gatillazo de Verstappen and 'top 5' for Sainz and Alonso

• Singapore GP Starting grid

• Fast lap Max, the invincible and Ferrari's attempts

The storm broke out early yesterday, with the fury of the tropics, over the streets of Singapore.

A torrential rain that prevented normal activity on the track, while

unleashed lightning and flashes against the microphones.

"The comments from Mercedes and Ferrari are absolutely unacceptable and defamatory. And I don't think it's a coincidence," explained the

Red Bull

Indeed, the accusations against the Austrian team for having exceeded the budget limit in 2021 come precisely during the weekend that

has his first opportunity to sentence the World Cup.

A victory, accompanied by a ninth place or worse from

and a fourth or worse from

, would crown Verstappen for the second time, whose records threaten some of the historical milestones of this sport.

Where, then, is the roof of Red Bull and its insatiable leader?

On Friday, Verstappen's 25th birthday celebration was marred in Marina Bay by reports from

and

.

According to the German publication, very close to Mercedes, two teams would have exceeded the spending limit, estimated at 178.6 million euros.

And one of them did it significantly.

"In the

the rumor of Red Bull and Aston Martin has spread," the aforementioned medium advanced.

On the other hand, the prestigious Italian newspaper spoke of three investigations, also including Red Bull, which in 2021 defined Verstappen's title after a very tight and controversial fight against

.

However, according to the

, it would be a minor infraction, less than 5% of the total budget, which could be solved with a simple reprimand or the payment of a fine.

According to the FIA ​​regulations, a violation higher than this percentage would imply a punishment that includes the withdrawal of points in the drivers' or constructors' championship, the cut of funds and exclusion from the World Championship.

"Guess and Speculation"

However, the lack of specificity in the rule and the diffuseness of the sanctions only fuel the confusion.

Mercedes boss

and Ferrari sporting director

Meanwhile, the FIA ​​speaks of "unsubstantiated conjecture and speculation" pending its final ruling, which is expected before the start of the Japanese GP.

Meanwhile, the words spoken by

at the end of 2019 still seem to resonate. "If the financial regulations are breached fraudulently, the championship will be lost," the F1 sporting director advanced.

Oblivious to almost everything, Verstappen's only desire is to shake off his losing streak in Singapore, a track where he has neither won nor set

.

Yesterday, a miscalculation when refueling prevented him from completing his last driven lap.

However, not even this eighth place on the grid should rule him out of victory.

At Monza he won starting seventh, at the Hungaroring, tenth and in Belgium, fourteenth.

In fact, only one of his 11 2022 wins has coincided with a

.

In the remaining five rounds, the Dutchman can still break the record for wins in a season, so far held by

(2004) and

(2013).

There were 13 wins for

in a World Championship of 18 races, one less than in the fourth title of the idol of Red Bull.

During that 2013 World Cup, Vettel also linked nine consecutive victories, the same as

between 1952 and 1953. This record seems further away for Verstappen, although... does anyone dare rule him out?

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• Red Bull Racing

• Max Verstappen

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