Horner: Red Bull Racing no scapegoat in cost-cutting row

Although ten of the current teams agreed plans for the FIA to get involved in policing a Resource Restriction Agreement before a June 30 deadline laid down by the governing body, AUTOSPORT understands that both Red Bull Racing and sister team Scuderia Toro Rosso objected because they wanted the scope of any cost plan to include engines.

That stance has left Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso as the lone objectors, but Horner insists that it would be unfair if it allowed the RRA to go through as it currently is.

"It's very easy to portray Red Bull as the blocker or the scapegoat, but all we want is to ensure that we're not disadvantaged through the process," said Horner, when asked by AUTOSPORT about the reasons behind Red Bull's objections.

"We are just a race team: we do not manufacture road cars, we don't manufacture other automotive technologies, we don't manufacture Formula 1 engines. We just want to make sure that whatever is agreed going forward is balanced.

"There are fundamental things that can happen for 2013 if unanimous agreement is reached: for example the wind-tunnel would be a very easy one for all teams to agree, but again we don't appear to have unanimous agreement on that either at the moment."

Horner believes it is up to other teams to make compromises in the plans they are proposing if unanimous agreement is to be found. In theory, support from all teams is now the only way that rules can be changed - although the FIA has still left the door open on sporting regulation changes until July 24.

"I think that where we are with it at the moment, it is unacceptable," said Horner. "We are still to be convinced and we are talking on certain things like limiting of wind tunnels significantly.

"We were willing to do that and look at other cost drivers to significantly get the cost down, as I think the biggest cost burden coming up is the 2014 power train, and that is where the teams and the manufacturers need to make a decision quite quickly because 2014 is just around the corner."

Despite Horner's stance, Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn was still hopeful that a deal could be put in place for the rule changes to be voted through unanimously.

"What is trying to be achieved is let's resolve those issues that the teams which are disagreeing have, so we can all agree," he said. "And if we all agree then it can happen in 2013, rather than it being a proposal that we get through by the end of June that two teams are unhappy with and may choose to challenge, even if we follow the right procedures."

Horner reckoned that a solution was possible - but it had to be fair to every team.

"I think what you have to remember with the RRA is it only really affects four teams and, whilst we fully agree with cost cutting and control, what we are keen to see is that those four teams with different financial make ups are treated in a like for like manner."