Nikolas Tombazis on Mercedes engine concerns: “We want to race, not go to court”. The FIA addresses concerns surrounding Mercedes’ 2026 Formula 1 power unit.

What the FIA technical director said

The 2026 Formula 1 World Championship, at least away from the track, has already begun under the banner of controversy. At the center of attention is the issue surrounding Mercedes engines and the compression ratio of the V6 internal combustion engine. According to reports, the power unit developed in Brackley would be capable of increasing the compression ratio when hot, up to 18:1, before returning to the 16:1 limit when cold, as required by the regulations.

This characteristic, on paper, could provide Mercedes and its customer teams – McLaren, Williams, and Alpine – with an estimated advantage of around 15 additional horsepower, a margin that could prove significant in terms of performance.

Mattia Binotto, speaking during Audi’s presentation, commented on the sensitive situation as follows: “If it is true, it is certainly a significant advantage in terms of performance and lap time. And that would make a difference when it comes to competition on track. But it is not up to me to prove it or to know it, everything is in the hands of the FIA.”

Today, a meeting between the FIA and the engine manufacturers is scheduled to take place. This appointment had already been planned in advance, but it will undoubtedly represent an important opportunity for dialogue between the Federation and the manufacturers involved. FIA technical director Nikolas Tombazis, speaking to the Reuters news agency during the Autosport Business Exchange event, addressed the issue in the following terms:

“Competition tends to make everyone believe exclusively in their own convictions, without paying attention to the arguments of others. Everyone thinks that their point of view is the only truth, but unfortunately things are never that simple, and that is where we come in to clarify these aspects. In any case, I do not believe this is such an important topic compared to how it is being treated by the media.

The meeting is not a showdown. We will discuss some of the technical merits of the issue, and I believe everything will be fine. It is an absolute priority to make sure that there are no disputes, because we want to race and not be sitting in court after the first race.”