McLaren can ‘rejoice’ as new fuel for Mercedes engine set to deliver ’20 horsepower’ boost

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McLaren and the rest of the Mercedes-powered teams could be in for a significant horsepower boost at the Australian Grand Prix thanks to Petronas’ fuel.

There were rumours during testing that Petronas were lagging behind with Mercedes’ fuel and may not receive certification before Melbourne. These have since been played down.

F1 teams are switching to sustainable fuel for 2026, opening up a new battleground between Petronas, Shell (Ferrari), ExxonMobil (RBPT), Castrol (Audi) and Aramco (Aston Martin).

The development curve will be steeper than ever this year given the scale of the rule changes, and this will also apply to fuel.

Could Petronas fuel be a gamechanger for Mercedes and McLaren in Australia?

Motorsport Italia estimate that the final version of Petronas’ fuel could add an additional 15-20 horsepower for Mercedes, McLaren, Williams and Alpine.

That gives the four teams reason to ‘rejoice’ heading to Albert Park. Red Bull Powertrains are trying to use the well-publicised compression ratio loophole, but haven’t been able to execute the trick to the same effect.

Meanwhile, Ferrari are focusing on the turbo, opting for a smaller design that should improve acceleration. They are also targeting straight-line gains through ‘bold aerodynamic choices’.

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Audi’s first attempt at an F1 engine looks ‘well-designed’ but it looks as if they will need more time than RBPT to catch up with the established manufacturers.

Honda are facing a ‘severe’ crisis on the eve of the new season, though, so experience isn’t everything.

Mercedes top the projected engine pecking order but do have some reliability concerns, with Kimi Antonelli forced into a power unit change during the first Bahrain test and causing a red flag after a stoppage in the second.

McLaren, Williams and Alpine used a ‘lesser’ engine in testing but will be upgraded to the latest package for the first race.

Mercedes’ rivals have changed their mind in fuel compression ratio scandal

According to Motorsport-Magazin, the proposal to introduce a new fuel compression ratio check in August has failed. It will now arrive in June instead.

Mercedes’ rivals changed their minds about the August timeline after Toto Wolff’s surprisingly positive reaction. Two months earlier than planned, the engines will be tested at 130 degrees, in addition to the pre-existing room temperature checks.

From 2027, the power units will only be measured when hot. Contrary to the prevailing understanding, the compression ratio actually drops on track, so it should be easier to comply with the 16:1 limit in theory.

Mercedes have apparently found a way to reach 16.3:1, much lower than the 18:1 that’s been reported but still a meaningful advantage, with competitors only at 15.2:1.