Engine row reaching crisis point?

Before a wheel has turned in anger, the start of the 2026 season looks set to be engulfed in a bitter row as pressure mounts on the FIA.

Earlier this week, as the row over the legality of his engine continued, Toto Wolff called on rivals to get their s**t together.

The row centres on the German manufacturer’s alleged exploitation of a loophole in the 2026 regulations relating to the compression ratio.

In short, the compression ratio is checked by the FIA when the engine is at an ambient temperature, however it is alleged that Mercedes has found a means of increasing the ratio – from the permitted 16:1 to 18:1 – when running hot, which would aid not only performance but fuel use.

You’ll note that we only mention Mercedes and not Red Bull, who were similarly alleged to have exploited the loophole.

This is because, in the sort of dramatic twist the sport has become used to, and on which the likes of Drive to Survive thrives, it is believed that unable to fully exploit the loophole, the Australian manufacturer leaked details of the alleged ‘breach’ to the ‘outside world’, most notably the other manufacturers.

Now, Red Bull Powertrains is understood to be siding with Audi, Ferrari, Honda in calling for a change to the engine regulations.

Despite numerous meetings with the FIA, and the Power Unit Advisory Committee (PUAC) as recently as Thursday, nothing has been resolved, and we head to Melbourne with the threat of protests.

For a change in the regulations, the move would require the backing four of the five manufacturers – which it presumably has – along with the FIA and F1.

“The power unit is legal,” insisted Toto Wolff on Monday, when asked about the prospect of protests in Melbourne. “The power unit corresponds to how the regulations are written, and the power unit corresponds to how the checks are being done.

“The power unit corresponds to how these things are measured in any other vehicle,” he added. “Everything else, I can’t judge upon. That’s how we see the world today, and that’s what the FIA said. That’s what the president of the FIA said, and he knows a bit about that. In that respect, let’s wait and see. But we feel robust.”

Since then, there has been talk of Ola Kallenius, Chairman of the Mercedes-Benz Group, preparing for legal action should the FIA attempt to change the regulations, and with the Three-Pointed Star supplying three teams, including the reigning world champions, Williams and Alpine, the sport’s powers that be are sure to be getting twitchy.

The four manufacturers are seeking a change to the regulations before Melbourne, however this would require the approval of the FIA which until now has appeared keen to keep its hands clean of the whole mess.

Further complicating the issue is the fact that the engines have to be homologated on 1 March, which would make it virtually impossible for Mercedes to make any required changes, consequently it is more likely any change would relate to 2027 onwards.

Mercedes is clearly very much up for the fight, however, the performance of the M17 power unit in Barcelona will have done nothing to allay its rivals fears and suspicions… indeed, quite the opposite.