F1 News & Gossip

Mercedes have extra 'advantage' thanks to their rivals claims F1 insider

Sheona Mountford Friday 6 February 2026 09:43

Mercedes have an extra 'advantage' ahead of their F1 rivals in 2026 according to an insider.

Much has been written about the loophole Mercedes and Red Bull have discovered in the engine regulations, allowing them to reach a higher compression ratio when the car is running at higher temperatures - currently something technical experts are unable to measure.

Mercedes will supply power units to three additional teams in 2026, including McLaren, Alpine and Williams, and if the alleged 0.3 seconds benefit of the engine trick is true, then their customer teams could stand to benefit also.

However, former F1 driver and commentator Christian Danner, has suggested that Mercedes' customer team relations supplies them with an extra advantage.

He said to Bild: "The drivers have to learn how to handle the cars on the track. In doing so, they provide data. Mercedes has three customer teams – McLaren, Alpine, and Williams – that supply data. That's an advantage."

F1 HEADLINES: Hamilton gets Ferrari reshuffle as 2026 reunion announced

Which engine will each team use in F1 2026?

Mercedes will supply the most teams of any power unit manufacturer in 2026, with four cars on the grid being powered by the team.

Ferrari will supply power units to both Haas and new team Cadillac for this season, giving them two customer teams.

For the first time in the team's history, Red Bull will produce their own power units for both themselves and sister team Racing Bulls.

Audi takes over Sauber, not only in name, but also in terms of power unit production from their Neuburg facility.

Finally, Honda will partner Aston Martin as their engine supplier in 2026, enticed back to the sport by the sustainable ethos of the new regulations.

What engine every F1 team is using in 2026
Team	Engine
Red Bull	Red Bull Powertrains
Racing Bulls	Red Bull Powertrains
Ferrari	Ferrari
Haas	Ferrari
Cadillac	Ferrari
Alpine	Mercedes
Mercedes	Mercedes
Williams	Mercedes
McLaren	Mercedes
Aston Martin	Honda
Audi	Audi