The alleged engine trick with Mercedes’ compression ratios continues to concern people in Formula 1. An important meeting between the FIA and the teams was scheduled for yesterday. Stories about the outcome vary, but Aston Martin would be furious. A protest in Australia is not excluded.
New engine and aerodynamic rules will apply in Formula 1 this year. It means that everyone is practically starting from scratch, and that every team and manufacturer is looking for an innovation to gain an advantage. It seems that Mercedes has found such a loophole with the compression ratios in the engine. This trick gives Mercedes more horsepower, and therefore more lap time.
Will the rules be changed?
According to rumors, Red Bull Powertrains is also working on such a trick, but Mercedes seems to have an advantage over the rest of the field. It caused an uneasy preseason full of rumors. A meeting was planned for Thursday between the FIA, the teams and the engine manufacturers. According to The Race, it was a productive meeting, and an agreement was reached on how compression ratios should be looked at in the future.
However, it does not appear that any action is being taken now. The rules will therefore not be adjusted at the last minute, and that means that Mercedes and Red Bull still have an advantage.
Will there be a protest?
According to the French newspaper L’Equipe, there is still a lot of uncertainty about the situation. The newspaper states that a new measuring system will be organized in the future, but it is not clear when. In addition, many teams and manufacturers are said to still be frustrated by Mercedes’ trick. L’Equipe states that Aston Martin, led by Adrian Newey, is particularly furious, and that it would not be a surprise if they or other teams in Australia immediately protested.
Self-confidence at Mercedes
At Mercedes they don’t seem to worry much. Yesterday the team performed their shakedown at the rainy Silverstone circuit, and everything seemed to be going according to plan. Drivers George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli looked back on the day with a smile, while Mercedes shared many photos from the filming day. They didn’t seem to be hiding anything, and they were bursting with confidence.
