FIA fines Honda and Alpine for engine cost breaches

The FIA has reached settlement agreements with Formula 1 power unit manufacturers Honda and Alpine over procedural breaches of the sport's engine cost cap regulations.

This resulted in combined fines of $1 million despite both manufacturers operating within the actual spending limits.

Financial penalties and breach details

Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) faces the larger penalty of $600,000 following documentation errors in their cost calculations, which the FIA found contained incorrectly excluded or adjusted costs.

Alpine's smaller $400,000 fine stems from delayed document submission and omitted information in their reporting.

The federation's Cost Cap Administration emphasized that neither manufacturer was found to have exceeded the actual budget ceiling, with the penalties purely relating to procedural matters in their submissions.

Good faith cooperation

Both manufacturers demonstrated full cooperation throughout the investigation process, leading the FIA to resolve the matter through Accepted Breach Agreements (ABAs) rather than pursuing further sanctions.

"The Cost Cap Administration recognized that both PUMs have acted cooperatively and in good faith throughout the review process,"

the FIA stated in their report.

"There is no accusation or evidence that either Alpine or HRC has sought or obtained any undue advantage as a result of the breach."

Wider cost cap compliance

The breaches come during the first year of Formula 1's power unit cost cap implementation, which was introduced for the 2023 season.

Despite these procedural issues, both manufacturers – along with their competitors – successfully operated within the prescribed budget limits, marking a significant milestone in F1's financial regulation era.

Future implications

The timing of these penalties is particularly noteworthy for Alpine, coming after parent company Renault's recent decision to cease their F1 power unit program at Viry-Chatillon ahead of 2026.

With Alpine expected to switch to Mercedes power units for F1's new regulations era, these financial penalties add another chapter to the manufacturer's transitional period.

In addition to the specified fines, both Honda and Alpine will be required to cover the administrative costs incurred by the FIA's investigation into their breaches, underlining the federation's commitment to maintaining strict oversight of the sport's financial regulations.