P1racenews AI automatic summary:
McLaren: Backmarker "threat" shows F1’s cost cap is working
Since the introduction of budget cap regulations in the 2021 season, there has been a noticeable leveling of the playing field among Grand Prix teams in terms of spending. Despite a few instances of teams breaking the cap, there is a consensus that it has had a positive impact. The CEO of McLaren, Zak Brown, believes that the budget cap has made the field much more competitive, with the gap closing between the front and back of the grid. The close fight for grid spots in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where the entire grid was covered by just 0.999 seconds in Q1, is evidence of this. Additionally, the competition has intensified to the point where even traditionally lower-ranking teams like Haas have become challengers in qualifying sessions. Some attribute this closer grid to the current technical rules that limit the progress that can be made with ground-effect cars.
