FIA outlaws Mercedes and Red Bull engine trick after Ferrari talks
The FIA has banned a qualifying engine loophole used by Mercedes and Red Bull in Formula 1 following safety and competitive concerns raised by Ferrari.
Exploiting the regulations
Mercedes High Performance Powertrains and Red Bull Powertrains recently discovered a method to deploy additional electrical energy for extended periods during a flying lap.
By avoiding the standard ‘ramping down’ of power at the end of a lap, both manufacturers sustained top speed for longer periods before crossing the finish line.
This aggressive trade-off required deactivating the MGU-K component of the power unit immediately afterwards, making the strategy completely unviable for race conditions.
Safety concerns at Suzuka
Existing regulations permitted teams to shut down the MGU-K system in an emergency to protect other critical components from imminent failure.
However, the intentional practice was exposed during practice sessions at the Japanese Grand Prix when several cars were left crawling dangerously slowly around the circuit.
Alex Albon’s Williams, which is supplied with a Mercedes power unit, even ground to a complete halt following a qualifying simulation run at Suzuka.
Ferrari prompts rule change
The sport’s governing body initially warned manufacturers about the hazardous side-effects of slow-moving traffic but ruled the tactic legally compliant after the Japanese event.
That regulatory stance has now shifted following direct dialogue with Ferrari regarding both the inherent safety risks and the performance advantage.
Revised technical guidelines have now been formally issued to all engine suppliers explicitly outlawing the extended deployment practice.
