The FIA have accidentally given one F1 team a ‘head start’ over Mercedes for the 2026 season

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In a similar way to how Mercedes were reported to have been given a head start on the 2014 regulations, another Formula 1 outfit has accidentally been given an advantage over everyone else for the upcoming new ruleset.

The new F1 regulations that are set to shake up the grid in 2026 mark the first new engine formula since the beginning of the turbo-hybrid era in 2014.

Mercedes emerged as the dominant force that year, with their power unit proving to be the benchmark over every other engine manufacturer on the grid.

The Silver Arrows thrived, winning eight consecutive constructors’ championships in the first eight years of the new ruleset as the rest of the engine suppliers played catch-up.

The debate over who will replicate Mercedes’ successes from 2014 in the new era has been a hot topic over the last 12 months, and a recent report has claimed that one F1 team are currently in pole position to do exactly that.

• READ MORE: FIA chief insists that one Mercedes feat will not be repeated under the 2026 F1 regulations

Aston Martin were given a ‘head start’ on the new regulations through their fuel supplier, Aramco

According to a report from Grada3, Aramco provided data from initial tests that were commissioned by the FIA regarding the new synthetic fuel that will power Formula 1 engines in the new era of regulations.

Aramco is the sole supplier of Aston Martin and has been providing their fuel in F1’s junior categories, Formula 2 and Formula 3, since 2023.

They switched over to synthetic fuels for the 2025 season, and the Saudi Arabian giants are hoping to ‘leverage’ their experience with the new grade of propellant in Formula 1 with the Silverstone-based constructor, who will be using Honda engines in their challengers.

It has already been reported that Aramco have the ‘most advanced’ formula of gas on the grid, with Ferrari’s supplier, Shell, understood to be facing difficulties.

The ‘expectation’ is that they will be able to provide the Japanese engine manufacturer with a premium formula that will be able to deliver a boost in horsepower to their rivals on the grid.

In one example given in the report, the boost could compensate for ‘the advantage’ that Mercedes and Red Bull have gained through their compression ratio tweak. Ferrari have already brought this ‘loophole’ to the attention of the FIA.

Given Honda’s recent experience of being the benchmark for F1 engine manufacturers through their success with Max Verstappen and Red Bull, they reportedly have ‘many areas’ in which they can make up for the deficit that is posed by the Silver Arrows’ ‘trick’.

The report concludes by saying Aramco’s fuel is Aston Martin and Honda’s ‘ace up their sleeve’, which bodes well for the title hopes of the British constructor and the man who has been eluded by a third world title since 2006, Fernando Alonso.

• READ MORE: Aston Martin fans are all in agreement after hearing Honda’s 2026 F1 engine for the first time

The stars may be aligning for Aston Martin to challenge for their very first F1 title in 2026

All of the speculation that has emerged from the current development race ahead of the 2026 season points towards one conclusion: Aston Martin will be a competitive force.

With the majority of development being overseen by design genius Adrian Newey, the British constructor had been tipped to be among the front-runners ever since his switch from Red Bull was announced in September 2024.

Alonso has been blown away by Newey’s work ethic ever since he arrived at the team’s Silverstone headquarters, and the 44-year-old is hoping to be provided with a car that is capable of aiding him in one final championship challenge before he calls it quits on his career altogether.

Aston Martin’s most recent podium came at the hands of Alonso in 2023. They began that season off with an impressive calibre of car that saw the Spaniard secure six top-three finishes in the first eight races.

Performance fizzled out in the second half of the season, but it was an encouraging sign for the British constructor that they could bridge the gap to the mainstay frontrunners.