Racing Point: Big teams now 'dinosaurs' thanks to budget cap

Racing Point technical director Andy Green says that F1's budget cap will lead to the need for teams to be "small, lean and efficient" in the future, a change that will transform the sport's big outfits into "dinosaurs".

The FIA formally ratified on Wednesday the cost saving and regulations changes that will steer Formula 1 into its near-term future.

The adoption of a sliding-scale budget cap over the next five years will require a fair amount of downsizing for the sport's trio of big outfits, Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull.

Racing Point however will likely increase its resources from its current level thanks to its partnership with Aston Martin, with the Silverstone-based team becoming the legendary manufacturer's works outfit in F1.

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But Green made clear that the expansion would not be significant, as the days of big operations in F1 are likely over.

"A year or so ago you would have said yes, but not now," he said, speaking on Formula 1's latest 'Beyond the Grid' podcast.

"Not in the current climate and not with the regulations that are coming in, starting in 2022. I think those teams now are dinosaurs and you’ve got to be small, lean and efficient.

"As far as the financial side of the regulations are concerned, I think they are coming to us. They are definitely going to allow us to compete with what used to be big teams, because they can’t be big teams anymore.

"They are going to have to come down and get much closer to our level. We’ve been doing it for years and we’ve been at this level for years.

"We do a reasonable job at it, by no means do we do it the best, and we could do it better, but we have been doing it a long time and I think we have put systems and groups in place that know how to work in a cost-driven environment, and I think that’s going to help us.

"A few years ago I would have been turning around to Lawrence and saying ‘we need a new factory, 900 people and our own wind tunnel, we need to bring an army if we are ever going to compete’. But that’s not the case anymore."

Over the years, Racing Point - formerly Force India - has acquired a reputation for efficiency, putting to good use every dollar of its small budget.

The team's tie-up with Aston and its new "works" status will require inevitable changes, but efficiency will remain at the forefront of Racing Point's priorities.

"It’s completely changed the way we think," admitted Green.

"It hasn’t really changed the way we operate at the moment, because we’ve always focused on being the most efficient team on the grid and we will continue to focus on being the most efficient team on the grid.

"I think now with the introduction of the cost cap, I think that really does help us. But the change to Aston Martin for next year is going to be massive.

"We haven’t really turned round and focused on that with what’s been happening over the last couple of months, but it is going to be a tidal wave of change that is going to wash over the team.

"We’re now a shop window for Aston Martin and we have to act and work that way. That’s going to be a big challenge to be able to do and still maintain the efficiency that we strive for."

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