Mercedes F1 Suspected Loophole Could Grant 0.3s Lap Advantage

The regulations state this is measured in FIA tests at “ambient temperature”, but it is suspected that a workaround can be found to effectively increase the compression ratio at full running temperature back to about 18:1. The Times understands that this came to light after employees from Mercedes left to join Red Bull, who are creating their own power units for the first time. It is unclear if Mercedes and Red Bull have the same workaround. It is understood Ferrari, Audi and Honda were sufficiently concerned by this potential advantage to write to the FIA. The Times has been told the potential benefit of increasing the compression ratio could equate to about 0.3 seconds per lap — a significant advantage — and even slightly more depending on the length of a circuit. FIA are looking to clarify the issue to somehow close the loophole — although it is unclear how they could do this without benefiting either Mercedes or the complaining teams. At present, the FIA is unable to measure the ratio at full temperature, and it is understood part of Thursday’s meeting — which will also discuss other parts of the regulations — will determine whether it is possible to do so in future. Ben Hodgkinson, the technical director of Red Bull Powertrains, alluded to any innovation being part of the sport. “I think any engineer worth their salt that doesn’t understand about thermal expansion doesn’t belong in this sport. Doesn’t deserve to be an engineer, really,” he said. “Almost every material changes with temperature. So it’s understanding how materials behave in different temperatures, pressures, stresses, loads. That’s literally our job.” Thursday’s meeting has been framed as a discussion rather than one which will give a definitive solution to the row. The main issue for both the FIA and the rival teams is that it is unclear how Mercedes have found a solution, so it is impossible to “ban” it or for the teams to potentially protest it at the first race in Australia on the weekend of March 6, even if they wanted to. Speaking at Audi’s car launch in Berlin, Mattia Binotto, their chief operating officer, said: “If it’s real, it is certainly a significant gap in terms of performance and lap time, and that would make a difference when we come to competition. No one wants to sit a season out if you’ve got a blatant advantage that you can do nothing [about] with a homologated power unit. I think for us, hopefully, the FIA will make the right decisions.” The FIA are monitoring the situation, but sources have pointed out that this kind of issue is commonplace at the start of a regulation cycle. Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA’s single-seater director, told The Times: “When we have new regulations, I think it is normal that there will be some discussion points, some areas which need a bit of clarification or adjustment, and that’s what we are currently discussing with the various stakeholders. We have an objective to make sure that procedures are interpreted and understood in the same way. “We are confident the rules can be clarified and I would say that I’m sure it will no longer be a talking point very soon.” This specific loophole has come to light before many of the cars have even taken to the track, but several more are expected to crop up on the aerodynamics and power unit side in the opening weeks when the car designs are fully visible during Bahrain testing next month and the opening races. Several teams are also understood to be struggling with reliability, which is likely to affect their running at next week’s behind-closed-doors testing in Barcelona.