F1: Ferrari and other engine manufacturers keep up the pressure for rule changes

With less than a month to go before the first winter tests in Barcelona, the Formula 1 has yet to bring out its new single-seaters, the battle is already underway. And it's taking place far from the racetracks, in the corridors of the FIA, around a technical detail that has become explosive: the control of the compression ratio of 2026 engines. Despite the current validation of the interpretation defended by Mercedes, Ferrari, Audi and Honda are not giving up. The pressure is mounting, and a change in the rules during the season is now clearly on the table.

A controversy that refuses to go away

For several weeks now, the paddock has been abuzz with the "Mercedes case". At issue is a grey area in the 2026 engine regulations which imposes a maximum compression ratio of 16:1... but only during static tests at ambient temperature. A subtlety exploited by Mercedes, then taken up by Red Bull Powertrainswhich would have enabled the design of a power unit capable of increasing this ratio once the engine was in real operating conditions. So far, the FIA has ruled: as long as cold measurements are correct, the engine is legal. The decision came as a shock to Ferrari, Audi and Honda, who were convinced that this reading went against the very spirit of the regulations. However, despite this official green light, the case is far from closed.

Ferrari refuses to give up on the case

According to the latest information from Italy and the paddock, Ferrari is continuing to join forces with Audi and Honda to obtain changes in testing procedures. The aim is no longer simply to obtain clarification, but to push the FIA to review the way compression ratio is measured, by integrating parameters linked to hot running conditions. The central argument remains the same: a single-seater must comply with the regulations at all times of the weekend, and not just in a cold-engine garage. For Maranello and its allies, accepting the status quo would be tantamount to institutionalizing a form of regulatory circumvention, with the risk of freezing the hierarchy as soon as the new technical cycle is launched.

A window of 6 to 7 Grands Prix now mooted

For the first time, a potential timetable is beginning to emerge. Internally, the FIA is said to be studying the possibility of introducing new testing criteria after the first six or seven Grands Prix of the 2026 season. This would be sufficient time to allow the engine manufacturers concerned to adapt their power units if necessary, without completely overhauling their architecture. This hypothesis would fall within the framework of the ADUO (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities) planned by the Federation to smooth out performance gaps between engine manufacturers. Every five to six Grands Prix, the FIA must analyze the average performance of engines. Those that fall below a predefined threshold can benefit from budgetary advantages, dyno time and even a new homologation.

The FIA faces a major political dilemma

The situation places the Federation in a delicate position. On the one hand, Mercedes is said to have had early discussions with the FIA on the development of its 2026 engine, making any backtracking legally and politically sensitive. On the other, allowing this interpretation to stand exposes F1 to a cascade of technical protests from the very first races. Whether the FIA chooses to intervene or not, one thing is now certain: the 2026 championship began long before the first green light. Ferrari, Audi and Honda know they're playing for big stakes. New information is expected as early as January 2, 2026, the date on which the F1 factories will reopen.