Red Bull insist talk about their power unit being illegal is just noise

Friday, 16 January 2026 at 17:43

Reports emerged ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 season that Mercedes and Red Bull Racing have found a loophole in the power unit regulations allowing them to increase the compression of their Internal Combustion Engine (ICE).

According to the new rules, the compression ratio of the ICE has to be 16:1 while that figure was 18:1 before. It is measured by FIA officials at ambient temperature.

The reports claimed Mercedes and Red Bull found a way to pass the FIA inspection while managing to increase the compression ratio while the car is running on track.

While there has been no comment from Mercedes on the matter, Red Bull's livery launch event in Detroit was an opportunity to get an explanation from Red Bull Ford Powertrains.

Red Bull engine boss Ben Hodgkinson, who joined from Mercedes, said: "I think there's some nervousness from various power unit manufacturers that there might be some clever engineering going on in some teams.

"I'm not quite sure how much of it to listen to, to be honest. I've been doing this a very long time, and it's almost just noise," he claimed.

Formula 1 has always been about one team finding a clever solution to what the regulations stipulate to gain an advantage over their rivals.

"You just have to play your own race, really," Hodgkinson went on. "I know what we're doing. I'm confident that what we're doing is legal.

"Of course, we've taken it right to the very limit of what the regulations allow. I'd be surprised if everyone hasn't done that.

"My honest feeling is I suspect it's a lot of noise about nothing," he concluded.

The FIA will hold a meeting with the teams and power unit manufacturers ahead of preseason testing to discuss various topics, with one of them being the power unit loophole.

Up to know the governing body have insisted the method with which they will check ICE compression ratios will not change.

(Quotes: Sky Sports F1)