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The fuel compression ratio saga continues to be a hot topic in the F1 paddock, and Toto Wolff has addressed the actual advantage that Mercedes will be getting from it.
The war rooms of each respective F1 engine manufacturer have been relatively busy as of late, as the majority of them continue to build a case against Mercedes for using an illegal loophole to gain an advantage with their 2026 power unit.
Mercedes are becoming ‘more heated’ every day by the amount of daylight that the FIA are giving the case against them, with the Silver Arrows’ chairman reportedly ready to ‘go to court’ if the sport’s governing body takes action.
With the first official week of pre-season testing for the 2026 season now upon us, team principal Toto Wolff has used the presence of journalists and broadcasters inside the paddock to defend himself and his Brackley-based F1 outfit.
- READ MORE: Red Bull U-turned on Mercedes engine trick after spotting one thing in Barcelona shakedown data
Is Toto Wolff playing mind games with Red Bull?
Toto Wolff downplays the advantage that Mercedes’ power unit trick gives them in ’embarrassed’ jab at F1 rivals
During an interview with Sky Sport Germany on the first day of F1’s pre-season test in Sakhir, Wolff addressed the current saga unfolding in the pit lane regarding the legality of Mercedes’ 2026 engine.
After being asked to sum up the current situation, Wolff called it “a storm in a teacup,” before highlighting how little of an advantage the Silver Arrows are gaining from the alleged loophole.
He added, “If some people knew what kind of performance advantage this gives, they would be embarrassed.”
It was initially suggested that the compression ratio trick would give Mercedes around two to three-tenths of an advantage per lap, but Wolff has downplayed that entirely.
The Mercedes chief said, “No, no, no, we’re talking about maybe 2-3 horsepower, no more. But even if that weren’t the case, I think it’s quite normal for Formula 1.
“Lobbying groups are forming for and against it. In the end, there is governance, and four out of five engine manufacturers plus F1 have to vote in favour of a rule change.
“If that happens, then you have no choice anyway.”
- READ MORE: FIA identifies three ways to ‘penalise’ Mercedes as Red Bull join calls for engine trick guarantees
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Every F1 engine manufacturer has now joined the effort against Mercedes’ 2026 power unit
When reports referring to the alleged illegal trick first broke, it was suggested that Red Bull had figured out the same way in which they could emulate Mercedes’ loophole.
However, it later emerged that Red Bull were unable to replicate the same thing, which then led personnel in Milton Keynes to leak their suspicions to the rest of the manufacturers on the grid.
After appearing to be in the shadows for much of the early discussion about it, Red Bull are reportedly ready to sign Ferrari’s ‘letter of protest’ to the FIA, which will take the Scuderia’s action against Mercedes one step further.
With such a sensitive topic, new solutions are being suggested every day. It remains to be seen what course of action the FIA will take, if they do take any action at all.
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