By contrast with Ecclestone’s bonfire of the banknotes, FE offers cost-capped racing for the age of austerity. Every car has the same shell and each team are limited to 13 operational track passes per race. ABT Audi’s annual budget, for example, is around £5 million, whereas Hamilton and the rest of the Mercedes crew chomp through an eye-watering £325 million, not including the £7 million bonus they paid out to staff for winning the constructors’ championship.