Carlo Vanzini has sparked debate over the compression ratio advantage reportedly exploited by Mercedes, also directing criticism toward the FIA while defending Ferrari. “What I don’t like is…,” said the Sky Italia Formula 1 commentator, raising questions about both the German team’s engine solution and the governing body’s handling of the situation.
The Sky Sport F1 commentator discussed the compression ratio used by Mercedes, opening a wider controversy that also involves the FIA and Ferrari’s position in the matter. “What I don’t like is…,” Vanzini said on his YouTube channel, as he shared his perspective on a technical topic that has been widely discussed within the Formula 1 paddock.
Ferrari appears to be on par with Mercedes in terms of chassis and aerodynamic performance, but the Scuderia is currently paying a significant price on the engine side. According to the discussion, the compression ratio used by the German team could guarantee around 60 additional horsepower, a benefit that becomes particularly evident in qualifying sessions and in the management of battery energy.
The Prancing Horse also seems to be extremely strong at the start of races. However, once again the Federation has intervened by introducing a system designed to help rival teams prepare the turbo during the starting procedure. It is worth remembering that Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur had already raised the issue a year ago. In response, the Maranello team built its new power unit with a smaller turbocharger in order to mitigate the lag problem created by the removal of the MGU-H.
Here is Carlo Vanzini’s opinion, shared on his YouTube channel.
Vanzini: “This leads to suspicion, which is never good”
“You have to congratulate Mercedes because they used the available materials in a way that allows them to gain this compression ratio advantage and they are able to increase it when the engine is operating at high temperatures. Well done to them. What I don’t like is that the Federation changes the rule starting from June 1. If you have to change the rule, you change it immediately. Why from June 1? Is it because someone needs time to fix things? And then, why did you immediately change the pre-start rule? Ferrari was gaining 50 meters on everyone else at the start and suddenly it becomes a safety issue.”
“If everything is legal, then change the rules immediately. Why didn’t the Federation do it straight away? There is also talk that when tests are carried out at 130°C, it might not be Mercedes that is irregular, but rather the others. That would be something incredible. But this whole situation is something I don’t like. It’s not right that you change a rule but only from June 1. That means there are three months of races in between for teams to adjust. If you believe that everyone is compliant, especially since you publicly defended Mercedes, then you introduce the rule immediately. But that didn’t happen. And that leads to suspicion, which is never good.”
The technical war of words adds another layer of intrigue to a season already defined by massive development leaps. Whether these concerns regarding the June 1st deadline are founded or not, they certainly set the stage for a politically charged European season, where every technical directive from the FIA will be scrutinized under a microscope by pundits and team principals alike.
