The Mercedes and Red Bull power units are capable of increasing the compression ratio when hot, which is however measured when cold. Protests from Ferrari, Audi, and Honda rejected

A point in Mercedes’ favor. At the start of what promises to be a revolutionary season for Formula 1, marked by unprecedented regulatory changes, there has been no shortage of controversy over rumors and speculation about the alleged “trick” devised by Toto Wolff’s team. At the center of the controversy is the Mercedes power unit, which when hot is said to be able to increase the compression ratio from the standard 16:1 when cold to 18:1 when in use. According to rivals Ferrari, Honda, and Audi, this trick not only gives the team a significant advantage on the track but also goes against the Federation’s regulations, which currently only allow cold measurements.

To resolve the doubts and complaints of the engine manufacturers, a meeting was called with the FIA on Thursday, January 22, which saw the Mercedes team emerge victorious – and potentially also Red Bull Powertrains, which according to rumors has adopted the same strategy – ready to take to the track in Melbourne with the solution adopted, which is currently considered legal by the FIA. As anticipated by Mattia Binotto during the Audi presentation, the topic discussed with the Federation and the engine manufacturers during the meeting focused on finding a solution for the future in order to agree on a method for measuring the compression ratio under hot conditions. However, this will only come into effect well after the start of the season in March and will therefore not affect the upcoming championship, as no action is planned by the FIA in the near future. This conservative choice by the Federation, which is trying to stem the controversy before the start of the new regulatory cycle, could, however, lead to official complaints from other engine manufacturers starting from the first Grand Prix of the season: a way to further accentuate the discontent with the solution adopted by Mercedes and to kick off a technical and political battle. However, doubts remain as to how any official complaint could be verified by the Federation in the absence of tools and methods for measuring the condition under examination. Everything is therefore postponed until the start of the championship in Melbourne, where the teams’ intentions regarding the continuation of this dispute and the actual forces on the field, with or without tricks, will be revealed.