FIA clears Mercedes’ 2026 engine after ‘secret checks’ following pressure from Ferrari and Red Bull
· Yahoo Sports
Mercedes is again at the centre of a row as the 2026 season begins, with several teams asking the FIA to revisit how engines are tested under the new regulations.
Concerns over Mercedes started building even before the first test session, with some rivals worried they’d exploited a gap in F1’s updated power unit framework. This year’s major rule changes were designed around a new approach to engine technology, aiming for greater balance between combustion and electric power.
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The engines now operate on an even split between electrical and combustion energy, fuelled by advanced sustainable resources and no longer featuring the MGU-H component. But those headline changes weren’t all – other tweaks came into play alongside them.
Teams are particularly concerned that Mercedes may have found a way to bypass the reduced ratio limit imposed for 2026, which dropped from 18:1 to 16:1. The key issue is that the FIA checks this ratio only in ambient conditions, not during actual engine operation.
Mercedes’ 2026 engine gets FIA approval after unannounced inspections
Ferrari, Audi, and Honda were the first to take their concerns about the Mercedes engine to the FIA. The Silver Arrows say the governing body had already been kept in the loop about their design. Red Bull joined in with similar complaints later on, but only after they couldn’t replicate what Mercedes had done.
Autosprint reported that Ferrari were particularly upset that Mercedes were allowed to build an engine capable of running a higher combustion rate than permitted. Estimates suggest it could be worth as much as four-tenths per lap.
The group of teams pushing for stricter checks wanted tests carried out while the engines were fully warmed up. But the FIA had already conducted private inspections under those exact conditions before any official complaints were made public.
The governing body has since informed Mercedes that their setup is fully within legal bounds. However, there’s still uncertainty around how this decision will impact a pending vote by the Power Unit Advisor Committee (PUAC), whose meeting was recently postponed.
Toto Wolff says Mercedes would be ‘screwed’ if F1 and the FIA changed the 2026 engine rules now
Toto Wolff has tried to downplay his team’s gains from their new combustion technique, suggesting rivals may have overestimated its true effect on performance.
Throughout development, Mercedes maintained regular communication with both F1 and the FIA, keeping them informed every step of the way. Speaking ahead of pre-season testing in Bahrain, Wolff pointed out just how vulnerable his team would be if rules changed this late in the process.
“I read an article from an Italian website that said things are going to change, so I thought that we should know,” he said when asked whether Mercedes have spoken with them regarding concerns from other teams.
He added: “It’s not only you need eight teams, you also need two votes from one side and two votes from another side.”
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