F1 | Power units under scrutiny: Tombazis clarifies what really happened at Thursday’s meeting. Nikolas Tombazis clarifies the details of the recent power unit meeting.

The debate over Formula 1 power units continues, but FIA Technical Director Nikolas Tombazis has stepped in to clarify what actually took place during the meeting on January 22. Tombazis explained to RacingNews365 that the discussion focused on technical measurement methods rather than resolving potential rule violations.

The focus of the January 22 meeting

As teams prepare for the collective shakedown in Barcelona, the topic of compression ratios remains a hot issue. Mercedes and Red Bull power units are still under scrutiny, with accusations, denials, and speculation dominating the headlines. No final decision has been reached, and even if potential irregularities were discovered, a resolution before the 2026 season seems unlikely.

Speaking to RacingNews365, Tombazis sought to clarify the situation, stating that the meeting was not intended to be a summit for making major decisions. Instead, the agenda was clearly defined: to discuss the technical methodology for measuring compression ratios. He emphasised that it was a purely engineering-focused discussion on how this measurement is conducted.

The “trick” of the compression ratio

The former Ferrari engineer admitted that some attendees initially tried to deviate from the agenda, but once the focus was restored, the meeting remained technical in nature. Tombazis highlighted that the issue has attracted significant media attention, but stressed that the FIA’s goal is to prevent differing interpretations of the rules at the start of the season. According to Tombazis, exactly what constitutes a “regulatory loophole” is itself a matter of debate.

He added that the FIA does not yet know what solutions teams may have implemented, and warned that some conclusions being drawn in the media are premature and generating unnecessary noise. Tombazis noted that the term “loophole” can have multiple interpretations, and acknowledged that there are areas of the regulations that are not fully clear to all parties. The primary objective, he stated, is to ensure that the matter is fully resolved in a completely clear and unequivocal way before the season opener in Melbourne.