What is the F1 cost cap?

Each team may spend about 215 million dollars a year on its car. Driver pay and marketing do not count.

Each team may spend about 215 million dollars a year on its car. Driver pay and marketing do not count.

What it covers

Building and developing the cars and running them at races. Drivers’ salaries, the three highest-paid staff and marketing are outside the cap.

Why it went up

The limit rose from 135 to 215 million dollars in 2026, mostly because costs that used to be excluded now count, not because teams spend much more.

If a team overspends

Fines, and for bigger breaches less wind-tunnel time, points deductions or worse.

Does the cap make teams equal?

Closer, not equal: the biggest teams still have better factories and more experience.