F1 2026 Season Could Hinge On This Controversial Loophole — Mercedes, Red Bull Ecstatic But Ferrari Up In Arms
The loophole discovered by Mercedes and Red Bull revolves around the engine compression ratio, which simply describes how much the air-fuel mixture is squeezed inside the cylinder before it ignites.
It has only been two weeks since the 2025 F1 season concluded with McLaren's Lando Norris winning the World Drivers' Championship. But the narrative heading into the 2026 season, with Mercedes and Red Bull finding themselves in the middle of a controversy.
With the new engine regulations set to take place in 2026, both these teams appear to have found a loophole in the new rules that might just hand them a major advantage over other teams, provided FIA doesn't step in.
What Is The New F1 Controversy?
The loophole discovered by Mercedes and Red Bull revolves around the engine compression ratio, which simply describes how much the air-fuel mixture is squeezed inside the cylinder before it ignites.
As per old regulations, FIA had allowed an 18:1 engine compression ratio, meaning the air-fuel mixture is compressed to 1/18th of its original volume. But under new regulations, this will be changed to 16:1.
However, Mercedes and potentially Red Bull have found a loophole by using thermal expansion, reports Motorsport Magazin.
Since measurements are taken during ambient conditions, the component expansion allows engines to reach higher operating temperatures. This manoeuvre allows the engine to achieve a higher compression ratio, potentially bringing it to 2025 levels.
The report points out that the advantage could be around 15 horsepower, which could equate to an advantage of three-tenths of a lap in a circuit like Albert Park.
F1 new regulations' engine loophole explained. (Photo: Notebook LM)
Ferrari, Audi & Honda On High Alert
Reports of Mercedes and Red Bull potentially finding a loophole in 2025 regulations have put teams like Ferrari, Audi and Honda on edge.
There were talks of a meeting between all five engine manufacturers - Red Bull, Mercedes, Honda, Ferrari and Audi - earlier this week, but it appears FIA is yet to come up with a final verdict.
Should FIA block the loophole, Mercedes and Red Bull could be forced to bring their compression ratio back to 16:! ratio, much to the frustration of the two teams.
However, if they fail to take action, it won't bode well for the remaining three engine manufacturers and could potentially create a huge disparity in the F1 2026 grid, with Red Bull and Mercedes having a clear edge.
