Mercedes chairman is ready to ‘go to court’ if the FIA make one change to the 2026 F1 rules

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The saga between Mercedes and the rest of the grid over its use of a loophole in the 2026 F1 regulations is still ongoing, and the Silver Arrows’ chairman is prepared to defend his team’s ingenuity all the way to the courthouse.

Mercedes were reported to have been given the green light by the FIA following a meeting between representatives of each team on the grid and the governing body before the beginning of the shakedown week in Barcelona.

However, the German constructor’s impressive pain-free week of testing only compounded the annoyance of each rival team, leading the FIA to identify three different options they have to ‘penalise’ the Silver Arrows.

However, the repercussions of the sport’s governing body taking action against Mercedes won’t be taken lightly at Brackley.

• READ MORE: Ferrari already working on a ‘substantial’ response to expected FIA ruling on Mercedes engine trick

George Russell topped the lap count at the Barcelona Shakedown 🔥

But is mileage everything at this stage? 🤔

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Mercedes chairman Ola Kallenius is ready to take legal action if the FIA revises the rules on their engine trick

According to a new report from Motorsport ES, Mercedes chairman Ola Kallenius is prepared to ‘go to court’ if the FIA puts out a ruling that condemns their compression ratio trick.

The Brackley-based outfit reportedly feels like they are in an ‘unassailable position’ regarding the legality of their 2026 power unit, meaning that they will take confidence in receiving a beneficial result if they were to take legal action.

The engine trick comes down to the compression ratio of the engine once the car is running and temperatures have increased.

Mercedes have found a way to increase the ratio of their cylinders, which technically doesn’t actually go against any rules in F1’s 2026 regulations.

The rulebook states that the new engines must record a ratio of 16:1 at ambient temperatures, but it doesn’t stipulate anything about the ratio once cars are on track, given the fact that they can’t be scrutineered at that time.

Ferrari have formed a ‘political alliance’ with their F1 rivals to combat the alleged loophole, and proposed the FIA make an internal sensor to monitor the compression ratios mandatory.

However, this can only be put into action if every team on the grid agrees to the change. Of course, Mercedes and their customer teams won’t budge, meaning that any further push of this idea is futile.

• READ MORE: Ferrari already lagging behind ‘more advanced’ Mercedes engine work after first 2026 shakedown

Alpine will hope to end their droughts in F1 now they have a Mercedes engine, but will they?

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Even Christian Horner has sided with Mercedes in the ongoing engine trick saga

Mercedes have found an unlikely ally in Christian Horner during the ongoing saga, with the former Red Bull team boss praising engineers from the German constructor for their innovation.

It may come as a surprise to see Horner defending a team with whom he shared such an intense rivalry in the past, but the current rumours surrounding a potential return to the F1 paddock for him shed more light on his stance.

Horner is currently in negotiations with Alpine investors Otro Capital over purchasing their shares in the Enstone-based outfit to secure a homecoming for him in the F1 circus.

As well as the new regulations, Alpine are experiencing a new era of their own, too. The 2026 season marks their first year as a customer of Mercedes’ power units.

With Mercedes currently understood to be the benchmark in that area, it makes a lot more sense as to why Horner hasn’t condemned the alleged use of the loophole further.