FIA boss looking to avoid F1 court case over alleged engine loophole

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FIA boss looking to avoid F1 court case over alleged engine loophole

The new regulations are causing quite a stir

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Thursday 22 January 2026 20:57 Updated: 21:22

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FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis has stated that it is a 'top priority' to ensure that F1's governing body are not 'sat in courts' due to a potential loophole in the new power unit regulations.

2026 sees wholesale regulation changes sweeping into the sport, including when it comes to power units, with the 1.6-litre V6 turbo hybrids taking on more of an electrical emphasis.

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Electrical power will be tripled, while the internal combustion side of the engine will be able to run off 100 per cent sustainable fuels.

But as all of the teams attempt to get ahead of their rivals in F1's new era, rumours of an alleged trick from Mercedes and Red Bull has surfaced, with it understood that they have been experimenting with a potential loophole in the regulations.

The alleged trick regards the geometric compression ratios, with it being reported that those two teams have found a way for the compression ratio to be at the allowed 16:1 when the engine is stationary, but then increase to the previously allowed 18:1 when moving, something that could allow an extra 15 brake horsepower.

It has led to comments from the other power unit manufacturers, including Audi, about the FIA needing to provide more clarity on the rules.

And while a meeting has been confirmed by the FIA to discuss this potential loophole as well as the regulation changes more widely, Tombazis has now spoken out on the matter for the first time.

"Of course, everyone is extremely passionate and competitive, and when people are in that state of mind, it does create a bit of blindness to maybe other arguments," he explained to Reuters.

"Some people, therefore, present their points of view as the only truth. Unfortunately, things are never completely simple. That's where we come in to make sure we clarify these things.

"I don't think it's as huge a topic anyway as currently is being made out in the press."

When asked about the potential for a protest from one or more teams at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix if one of the outfits are miles ahead of the rest, Tombazis said: "I believe we are going to be ok. It's a top priority to make sure we don't have controversies because we want to go racing and not to be sat in courts and hearings after the first race."

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The trick alleged to have been found by Red Bull and Mercedes has been reported to be worth about 0.3 seconds per lap.

Indeed, Audi boss Mattia Binotto recently suggested that it would be game over for the other teams if there is any truth in the geometric compression ratio trick reports.

Even before reports of this alleged trick surfaced, Mercedes were rumoured to be best placed to master the wholesale regulation changes, as they did in 2014.

It's unclear as of yet how the grid will shape up at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, but expect the competitive order to be different to how it was at the end of the 2025 season.

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F1 Mercedes FIA 2026 regulations Nikolas Tombazis