A tale as old as time in Formula One Racing erupted just before Christmas as the teams geared up for huge new regulation changes for both chassis and powertrains. Unlike Indycar, Formula One is not a ‘spec’ series which means each of the teams takes on a tome of specifications issued by the FIA and designs its own interpretation of the rules.
From the ground effect cars of the late 1970’s, to the Williams genius designs with sophisticated electronic aids such as active suspension in the 1990’s and more recently the Brawn double diffuser (2009), McLaren’s “F-Duct” (2010) and Red Bull’s exhaust blown diffusers (2010-2013), the F1 engineers with rocket science like vision a renown for finding loopholes in any new rules which can be exploited for their advantage.
With one of the biggest technical specifications rule changes in the history of the sport coming this season, its no wonder that once again certain teams will push the boundaries of the conundrum set for them by the FIA.
Irony as manufacturers fail to agree a solution
Mercedes (and to some extent Red Bull Racing) have been accused of breaching the spirit of the 2026 PU regulations by finding a ‘cheat’ to beat the FIA’s compression tests for the new internal combustion engines (ICE). This relies on clever metallurgic elements used which when heated to racing temperature expand thus increasing the maximum compression ratios allowed by the FIA of 16.1.
The test for the compression ratio’s was set out early last season and it states it will take place at ambient temperature when the powertrains are ‘cold.’ A rogue ex-Mercedes engineer recruited by Red Bull Racing has allegedly spilled the beans on the trick, allowing Red Bull Powertrains to make progress in this area too.
Ferrari, Audi and Honda are furious and a meeting yesterday between the FIA and the manufacturers was intended to calm troubled waters. It was suggested that the FIA fit sensors in the compression chambers of each PU to monitor live the pressures whilst the cars are on track.
Yet ironically, these same manufacturers were called to a meeting in Bahrain last season, where the FIA requested they consider allowing the electrical output of the new PU’s to be reduced. More than one refused to play ball (Honda and Audi) meaning no rule change could take place until at least 2027.
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Deficit too small for “catch up” allowance
Now Honda and Audi, along with Ferrari, find themselves facing the same roadblock in their complaint over the Mercedes’ compression trick. The meeting predictably failed to find agreement amongst the manufacturers and the matter is set to rumble on unresolved before the start of the season in Melbourne.
It appears the protest had received some support from the FIA prior to Thursday’s pow-wow, with the governing body’s head of day to day F1 affairs. Nikolas Tombazis said this week at the Autosport Business exchange on Wednesday, that the FIA wishes to be “careful about such matters” and that it is “conscious that we want terms to have the same interpretation of the regulations… and to make sure when people go racing, they understand the rules in exactly the same way.”
As with the McLaren flexi-wing controversy last season, the issue is not with the technical specification but the test the FIA will use to measure the compression rates. McLaren had found a way of designing their wings to flex on track under load to a greater extent than specified by the regulations. However the FIA’s static load test and its one dimension gravity based methodology, failed to discover how cross loads would cause flexing to the wing on the car.
Of course Audi, Honda and Ferrari may qualify for the FIA’s catchup programme designed to allow any manufacturer whose total power output is more than 3% in deficit to the leading power unit in the field to redesign and re-homologate their powertrains. Yet estimates currently suggest the loophole will deliver just an extra 10-15bhp, probably not a 3% deficit.
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Newey reportedly “furious” over decision
One saving grace for Ferrari, Audi and Honda is that there are massive changes coming in how the drivers operate their Formula one cars, with a huge new workload around energy management. This together with the all new active aero front and rear wings cold see significant performance differentials between the teams anyway, thus nullifying the small BHP advantage of Mercedes and Red Bull.
French publication L’Equipe is reporting that Aston Martin’s team principal, Adrian Newey, is furious over the FIA’s failure to resolve the controversy. The Silverstone based team he heads up have switched this season from Mercedes to Honda power. Having worked successfully with Honda at Red Bull Racing, Newey was hoping the Japanese manufacturer would ace the new PU rules and together with his chassis and aero design move the team to the front of the field.
Yet in almost prophetic nature, Newey last January predicted something like this would happen specifically relating to the internal combustion engine.
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Newey’s prophetic words come true
“I think engine manufacturers will have learned to an extent [from] the lack of preparation that the rivals to Mercedes did prior to that change,” he said. “But there has to be a chance that one manufacturer will come out well on top and it will become a power unit-dominated regulation, at least to start with,” the Aston Martin boss told AMuS.
“And there’s a chance that if it’s on the combustion engine side of it, that somebody comes up with a dominant combustion engine, that will last through the length of the formula, because the way the regulations are written it’s quite difficult for people who are behind to catch up. If it’s on the electrical side, then there’s much more ability to catch up if you’re behind.”
Newly’s concern that one manufacturer will dominate the next five year cycle is though overblown, given the FIA have since introduced their ‘catch up’ mechanism. That said many advantage Mercedes and Red Bull Racing have from their PU’s would only be baked in for 2027.
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NEXT ARTICLE – Williams at risk of missing entire Barcelona test due to major chassis issue
Formula 1 Team May Miss Winter Testing After Chassis Problems – Williams may have a difficult start to the new Formula 1 season, as reports suggest that the team could miss the first week of winter testing in Barcelona entirely. According to the well-connected journalist Ralf Bach, the Grove-based team is dealing with serious technical issues that could prevent it from running its new car on schedule.
This would be a significant setback for a team that had been quietly optimistic ahead of the new season, particularly given the changes made over the winter…. READ MORE
A.J. Hunt is Senior Editor at TJ13, where Andrew oversees editorial standards and contributes to the site’s Formula 1 coverage. A career journalist with experience in both print and digital sports media, Andrew trained in investigative journalism and has written for a range of European sports outlets.
At TJ13, Andrew plays a central role in shaping the site’s output, working across breaking news, analysis, and long-form features. Andrew’s responsibilities include fact-checking, refining editorial structure, and ensuring consistency in reporting across a fast-moving news cycle.
Andrew’s work focuses particularly on the intersection of Formula 1 politics, regulation, and team strategy. Andrew closely follows developments involving the FIA, team leadership, and driver market dynamics, helping to provide context behind the sport’s biggest stories.
With experience covering multiple seasons of Formula 1’s modern hybrid era, Andrew has developed a detailed understanding of how regulatory changes and competitive shifts influence the grid. Andrew’s editorial approach prioritises clarity and context, aiming to help readers navigate complex developments within the sport.
In addition to editorial duties, Andrew is particularly interested in how media narratives shape fan perception of Formula 1, and how reporting can balance speed with accuracy in an increasingly digital news environment.
Surely a very simple answer to this problem is to STIPULATE what compound MUST be used for the parts?? There surely is time to manufacture replacements where needed … ?