SEPANG: Williams are caught in a "cost cap trap" that forces them to spend millions on basic factory systems rather than car development, team principal James Vowles said on Friday, calling for changes to Formula One's financial rules.
Teams have a limit for spending on performance-related activities each season, with the cap at US$215 million for 2026.
That, said Vowles, has created a "two-tier championship" where the top four teams — Mercedes, Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari — have actually tightened their grip, rather than levelling the playing field.
"Cost cap has made it worse, not better. I'm probably unique because - it's not a compliment - but I went from the best team to the worst team," said Vowles, who has the unique perspective of moving from championship-winning Mercedes to struggling Williams.
