Red Bull chief Christian Horner has described claims of the team breaking Formula One's $145million (£114m) budget cap as "speculation", though Ferrari and Mercedes state the situation is an "open secret".
Two teams have reportedly breached F1's spending regulations, one of which is by a "significant amount", and Red Bull have swiftly been attributed with guilt – although there is no proof.
Horner told BBC Sport that it was "purely speculation" and added to Sky Sports he was "not aware" of any breach.
"We are certainly not aware of any [breaches]. The accounts were all submitted way back in March, so it's been a long process with the FIA going through, and we are in that process as we speak," he said.
The FIA will issue certificates of compliance on October 5, or announce any breaches, but both Mercedes and Ferrari suggested there was an understanding on the grid that two teams are at risk of punishment.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff claimed one such party was "fundamentally massively over".
"There's a team in minor breach, which is more procedural, and another team that is fundamentally massively over and that is still being looked at," he said. "That's an open secret in the paddock."
And there was a similar view from Ferrari, with racing director Laurent Mekies saying: "It's now no secret that two teams broke the 2021 budget cap regulations, one by a significant amount, the other less so."
The situation creates a significant headache for the FIA, with the 2021 season already shrouded in controversy after Max Verstappen pipped Lewis Hamilton to the title in the final race in Abu Dhabi, with race director Michael Masi failing to implement the rules correctly after a late safety car.
Emergence of further controversy will not be welcomed, and questions will be asked as to why the results are so delayed, with F1 now in the back end of the 2022 season and Verstappen waltzing to a second title in a row.
Punishments for budget cap breaches can be severe, with potential points deductions for minor violations, while the heaviest punishment for a larger breach includes banning a team or driver.
A breach last year would also have a knock-on effect into the current campaign as the cap includes development of the car for the following season.
Hamilton needs support to fill Vettel void in F1 human rights stand, says ex-Mercedes man Bishop
Lewis Hamilton needs support from his fellow Formula 1 drivers to fill the gap left behind by Sebastian Vettel in championing human rights issues, says former McLaren head of communications Matt Bishop.
The pair have formed the cornerstone of the sport's stands against injustice and have voiced vocal support for a multitude of social causes, in particular the LGBTQ+ community, during their time in F1.
With Vettel's retirement at the end of last season, however, Hamilton has been left to lead from the front, particularly amid the sport's powerbrokers moving to censor political protests on race weekends.
Ahead of this weekend's Australian Grand Prix, Bishop – who helped create the Racing Pride organisation to support the LGBTQ+ community in motorsport – has called for the void to be filled in support of the Briton.
"[Vettel] absolutely saw Lewis as somebody who he could confide in, who he could seek counsel from," he told Sky Sports.
"I think it was mutual. They both saw each other as somebody who 'gets it' in the same way. I'm not trying to criticise any of the other drivers by the way – I worked with many of them, and it takes all sorts to make a world.
"But I suppose I would now like some of the other drivers to consider whether they could perhaps fill the void Sebastian has vacated, because Lewis is a tiny bit on his own now."
Bishop's comments come after three-time world champion Nelson Piquet was last week fined £780,000 for racist and homophobic comments made about Hamilton during an interview from November 2021.
"The most important thing is that in Brazil that wrong was righted and I know he's got to pay a big fine," Bishop said.
"I assume he can afford it and I do hope, which presumably was the objective, that it will deter other people from speaking in such an appalling way moving forward."
Honda question FIM ruling after Marquez penalty amended past Argentina Grand Prix
Repsol Honda alleged the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) has "violated" the team's rights after its decision to uphold Marc Marquez's ban beyond the Argentina Grand Prix.
The six-time MotoGP champion suffered a fracture to the first metacarpal bone in his right hand in Sunday's Portuguese Grand Prix.
That was after a crash with Miguel Oliveira at Turn 3 early in the race, with Marquez found guilty of irresponsible riding in Portimao after both riders were unable to continue.
The Spaniard was handed a double long-lap penalty and the FIM confirmed Marquez will serve the sanction when he next features after Honda announced he will miss the next race due to a hand operation.
Honda have contested the FIM's ruling, questioning the merits of changing the penalty two days after the initial sanction.
"The modification of the penalty consisted of a change of criteria on when the penalty should be applied," Honda said in a statement on Wednesday.
"This modification was issued by the FIM two days after the initial sanction was final and definitive, and is not in line with the current regulations of the FIM for the MotoGP World Championship.
"The Repsol Honda Team intends to use all the means of recourse to defend its rights and legitimate interests, which it considers violated as a result of the latest resolution adopted, and in particular has duly submitted an appeal before the FIM Appeal Stewards."
Japanese team Honda have opted to go to the Termas de Rio Hondo Circuit with just one rider, despite having test rider Stefan Bradl available.
Joan Mir will step up in the absence of Marquez as the 2020 world champion prepares for his second race in the team's colours on Sunday in Santiago del Estero.
Melbourne will see 'different' Verstappen as Mercedes hope for progress
The Formula One grid will see a "different" Max Verstappen at the Australian Grand Prix, according to Helmut Marko.
Those are foreboding words for the two-time defending world champion's rivals, among which only his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez can be considered a serious challenger following the first two races of the season.
Red Bull claimed one-twos in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, doing so in dominant fashion as Verstappen prevailed in the season opener before Perez won from pole in Jeddah.
Verstappen recovered from 15th, his qualifying hindered by a driveshaft failure, to finish second in Saudi Arabia.
But Red Bull consultant Marko expects Verstappen to produce a stronger performance at Albert Park.
"He wasn't 100 per cent fit," Marko told F1-Insider after Verstappen had battled illness in the build up to the race.
"However, he is now doing everything he can to maximise performance next time.
"We will therefore see a different Verstappen in Australia."
While Red Bull are the clear class of the field, Mercedes remain a long way off their former glories, though boss Toto Wolff has reason for optimism following fourth and fifth-place finishes for George Russell and Lewis Hamilton in Saudi Arabia and signs of progress at their factory.
"The signs we are seeing back at the factory are promising," said Wolff. "We have got to take it step by step, though, and won't get carried away until we see performance translated into lap time on track.
"The competitive order behind Red Bull is tight, with small margins having a big effect on points scored. There remains a significant gap to the front and that is ultimately what we are interested in closing."
A Red Bull-Alonso hat-trick?
The only man who has come close to challenging Red Bull is Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso, who got past Perez at the start in Saudi Arabia and briefly led.
He has back-to-back third-place finishes. If he, Verstappen and Perez share the podium again, it would be first time since 2015 with the same three drivers in the top three in the first three races of the year in Formula One (Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel).
A third straight one-two for Red Bull would mark the first time they have achieved such a feat and make them to sixth team to do so.
Piastri's progress
Oscar Piastri is the only Australian on the grid, having replaced compatriot Daniel Ricciardo at McLaren.
McLaren have yet to score a point in a difficult start to the season, but Piastri qualified an encouraging ninth in Saudi Arabia before early pit stops for front wing damage for him and team-mate Lando Norris hindered their respective races.
But his qualifying performance in Jeddah offers hope he can score his first F1 point at his home grand prix, with team principal Andrea Stella praising the rookie.
"We have seen really strong progress by Oscar," Stella told Autosport. "Obviously, Lando is a complete certainty. So we know that Lando is there.
"If you look back, already in FP1 he [Piastri] was a little bit more competitive than Bahrain, then FP2 closer, then FP3 pretty much a match for Lando, capitalising in qualifying, and then very strong in the race.
"For me, I see more the sense of constant progression, which is ultimately the plan that we have with Oscar."
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Drivers
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 44
2. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) 43
3. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) 27
4. George Russell (Mercedes) 21
5. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) 20
Constructors
1. Red Bull 87
2. Mercedes 41
3. Aston Martin 35
4. Ferrari 26
5. Alpine 8
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