Overview
- Ferrari, Honda and Audi have raised formal concerns with the FIA over claims Mercedes and Red Bull can meet the 16:1 limit at ambient checks yet run effectively higher when hot.
- Reports from Corriere dello Sport allege a former Mercedes engineer now at Red Bull shared the concept months ago, a claim not verified by the teams or the FIA.
- The same reports say a temporary solution is being discussed that would allow the approach for 2026 only before requiring full compliance in 2027, which opponents are resisting.
- The FIA has already tightened separate 2026 wording on the standardized Allengra fuel‑flow meter, banning any device, system or procedure intended to change the meter’s temperature under the new energy‑flow limit.
- Paddock estimates suggest the effective‑compression gain could be worth about 15 horsepower and roughly three‑tenths per lap at some circuits, with any upheld interpretation potentially benefiting Mercedes customer teams and complicating enforcement since checks occur at room temperature.