FIA CONFIRMS MAJOR LOOPHOLE IN NEW 2026 FORMULA 1 POWER UNITS
Nikolas Tombazis confirms an F1 engine loophole as Mercedes exploits compression ratios, leaving Ferrari and Audi fuming for 2026.
FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis just confirmed what the paddock’s been buzzing about: at least one Formula 1 team has pulled off a power unit trick that’s already causing a storm before the new season even starts.
The switch to new power units hasn’t just shaken up the tech; it’s brought new names onto the grid. Renault’s out, but now we’ve got Audi finally joining, Honda back in the mix, and Red Bull Powertrains up and running. And with Cadillac backed by General Motors joining soon, the lineup looks fresher than it has in years.
A big reason for all this change? The rulebook now splits power 50-50 between combustion and electric energy, steering F1 in a new direction. But here’s the thing: Mercedes spotted a loophole and ran with it.
It all comes down to the compression ratio inside the engine. The FIA checks it at ambient temperatures and expects a ratio of 16:1, but Mercedes figured out how to bump it up to 18:1 when the engine heats up at race pace. That little trick gives them more efficiency on track.
Naturally, their rivals aren’t happy. Ferrari, Audi, Honda—they’re all fuming. The FIA’s now scrambling to sort things out before the Australian Grand Prix. No one wants this to end up in court.
Tombazis explained why the rules were written this way in the first place. “There are all these pistons moving, turning the crankshaft, pulling air and fuel in. Designing engines to hit high compression ratios isn’t easy.
“When we set these regulations, we wanted to bring in new manufacturers. It worked—now we’ve got five, and another on the way. If we hadn’t changed things, we’d probably be down to two by now, and that’s a problem.
“Newcomers always start behind. We had to level the playing field, or they’d never catch up, especially with cost caps and development limits. It’s still tough, but at least now it’s possible.
“That's why we simplified some things and cut costs. The compression ratio was one of those changes. We dropped it from 18:1, which was barely reachable, to 16:1 as a compromise.”
The FIA admits, without naming names, that some teams have found ways to push the ratio higher. The goal now is to fix the loophole before the season begins.
“These engineers are clever and always looking for an edge. Some found ways to increase the ratio when the engine’s hot, and that’s what we’re talking about now,” Tombazis said.
“We’ve spent a lot of time trying to solve this. We want it sorted before the first race. The competition should happen on the track, not in the courtroom. That’s the aim.”
CHARLES LECLERC EXPLAIN WHY 2026 FORMULA 1 QUALIFYING FEELS "TOTALLY DIFFERENT" NOW
Charles Leclerc warns that the 2026 F1 battery rules are ruining the thrill of qualifying despite Ferrari’s strong start.
Charles Leclerc isn’t too happy about how the new Formula 1 rules have changed the excitement in qualifying for 2026.
He and Ferrari are off to a strong start this season, sitting comfortably behind Mercedes as the second-quickest car. Ferrari has figured out the new technical regulations pretty well; their smaller turbo and powerful battery are keeping them right up at the front.
But people in and out of the paddock are still worried about what these new rules are doing to the racing. Some feel the action on track is starting to look a bit fake.
Leclerc doesn’t totally agree with that. He thinks teams are just learning to use their batteries better, and knowledge is driving that change.
“I actually enjoy it,” Leclerc told reporters. “From inside the car, it doesn’t feel artificial. Sure, sometimes overtakes look a bit forced, like when someone screws up with battery management and suddenly loses a ton of speed, but honestly, we’re all figuring out when to push and when to play it safe. That’s making for some pretty fun overtaking spots.”
Now, as for the qualifying session? Leclerc admits that’s where he has bigger concerns. Take the Chinese Grand Prix, for example: there were overtakes everywhere, and drivers, Leclerc included, felt more confident handling the car. Still, he says the racing style isn’t quite what Formula 1 should be.
“The smaller, lighter cars are more agile, and it’s easier to go around the outside,” he said. “They’re not the super high-downforce machines we used to have. But we need to make qualifying feel more like Formula 1 again. Something is missing. If we work on it, we’ll figure it out.”
Leclerc’s worried that the new rules, especially the way battery deployment works, are messing up the thrill of push laps in qualifying. With Suzuka’s technical corners coming up, those battery issues could make the qualifying spectacle feel even less special.
MAX VERSTAPPEN DISQUALIFIED FROM NLS2 WIN AFTER SURPASSING TYRE SET LIMITS
Max Verstappen was disqualified from his NLS2 victory at the Nurburgring after his team used seven sets of tyres.
What initially seemed like another highlight in Max Verstappen’s expanding endurance racing journey ended harshly and unexpectedly. Hours after crossing the finish line at the Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS) race, the four-time Formula 1 world champion was disqualified.
Verstappen, driving alongside Daniel Juncadella and Jules Gounon for Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing, had taken the chequered flag first in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 at the 58th ADAC Barbarossapreis, the second round of the 2026 NLS season. However, their celebration was short-lived. About two hours later, race officials announced the car’s disqualification due to a violation of tyre rules. This handed the victory to Dan Harper and Jordan Pepper in the BMW M4 GT3 for ROWE Racing instead.
The decision came after the usual post-race inspection, where data from the series’ tyre monitoring system revealed that the team had used seven sets of tyres, surpassing the six-set limit imposed by NLS regulations. Faced with these facts, race stewards had little choice but to exclude the team from the final standings.
Christian Hohenadel, team principal of Winward Racing, expressed the sting of the disqualification. He acknowledged a team error behind the incident and apologised to supporters, emphasising their intent to analyse what happened and prepare more carefully for future races. “This was our debut as a Mercedes-AMG Performance team on the Nordschleife,” he noted.
Despite the disappointing outcome, Verstappen’s performance on track was hard to ignore. With over 130 cars competing and around 25,000 fans in attendance, the Dutch driver stood out during qualifying, securing pole with a lap time of 7:51.751. Verstappen himself described pole position as a pleasant surprise, especially since he finally managed a clean lap free of traffic.
The race featured intense battling at the front. Christopher Haase pushed early and briefly took the lead, but the Mercedes eventually re-established control. Further behind, ROWE Racing capitalised on a strong strategy, moving up from seventh to claim the win once the disqualification was enforced.
Jordan Pepper remarked on Verstappen’s presence, calling it great for the sport and recognising him as a consummate professional who challenges competitors.
The NLS2 event delivered excitement beyond the lead. Falken Motorsports climbed from tenth to a podium spot, while 48 LOSCH Motorsport by BLACK FALCON enjoyed a revised classification that gave them a top-three finish and victory in the PRO-AM class. Smyrlis Racing took charge of the CUP3 category, and PROsport Racing secured the win in SP10 with its Mercedes-AMG GT4. In the VT2-RWD class, SRS Team Sorg Rennsport earned victory with their Toyota Supra after a tight contest.
Although the final result worked against him, Verstappen’s display reaffirmed his adaptability beyond the confines of Formula 1 machines. Reflecting on the challenge of the Nordschleife, he called it one of the wildest circuits out there and expressed a clear desire to race there as often as possible.
Looking ahead, the next NLS round is scheduled for April 11, as Verstappen continues preparations for the renowned 24 Hours of Nürburgring, where he is expected to compete again. For now, what might have been another celebration at the Nordschleife serves as a reminder of how unforgiving endurance racing’s regulations can be.
