Haas team boss Ayao Komatsu has criticised the FIA’s plan to allow Audi-owned Sauber to exceed the budget cap due to higher costs of living in Switzerland.
Haas team boss Ayao Komatsu has criticised the FIA’s plan to allow Audi-owned Sauber to exceed the budget cap due to higher costs of living in Switzerland.
Last month, reports revealed a proposal that would permit Audi to spend more than its competitors, citing Switzerland’s elevated wage bills and living expenses compared to the UK and Italy.
Unsurprisingly, many teams oppose the idea, but the FIA retains control over such provisions since the 2026 Concorde Agreement has not yet been signed. Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA’s single-seater boss, defended the measure, saying: “Otherwise, it would be like trying to form a democracy out of nine wolves and one sheep.”
Komatsu, however, has been particularly vocal in opposing the idea.
“Why should a team based in Switzerland have an exception?” he told Ekstra Bladet in Las Vegas. “You choose where you have your headquarters. And prices are also different between London, Oxford, and the north of England, so where is the line?
“I remember when we tried to hire someone from Sauber, but this guy loved the mountains and skiing and didn’t want to move to England,” he added. “That sort of thing also comes into play.”
Komatsu questioned the logic of granting Audi a budget cap exemption based solely on cost of living differences.
“I think it is very dangerous and very one-dimensional to look at the price of a beer and say that it is more expensive here, so that is why you get an exemption,” he said.
He also highlighted the financial disparities within other countries, noting the differences between the UK and Italy, where Ferrari and Red Bull’s second team, RB, are based.
“We have facilities in Italy too,” Komatsu said. “Where do you stop? I don’t remember the exact rules, but in Italy there are also some big tax advantages. So do you take that into account as well?
“Unless you look at every single detail, it’s hard to do justice. And is it even possible? I doubt it.”
Komatsu urged the FIA to avoid overcomplicating the rules, drawing comparisons to issues with sporting regulations like track limits.
“I don’t want to criticise the FIA too much, but look at what is happening with the sporting rules such as ‘track limits.’ The more you try to define the details, the more difficult they become to handle, and you create new problems.
“I think it’s better to keep things simple,” he concluded.
