According to our colleagues at The
Race, the FIA has banned
a practice used by Mercedes and Red Bull aimed at gaining
extra performance at the very end of the qualifying lap.
This technique relied on a subtle exploitation of the rules
governing the management of electrical energy.
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Normally, the power
delivered by the MGU-K must be gradually reduced
as the line approaches to avoid a sudden drop. This
reduction follows a stepped curve imposing a decrease of 50 kW
per second.
Mercedes and
Red Bull had found a way to bypass this constraint
by maintaining a maximum discharge as long as possible.
This gave them a temporary advantage estimated between 50 and 100 kW
over their rivals, a modest but potentially decisive gain in
a discipline where gaps are measured in hundredths.
The
key role of the MGU-K shutdown mode
This trick relied on a
regulatory provision allowing the MGU-K to be disabled in case
of technical problems, in order to protect the components of the power
unit.
However, when this system is
turned off, the requirements for progressive power reduction no longer
apply. The teams powered by Mercedes and Red Bull
exploited this loophole by activating this mode at the
right moment.
To limit abuse, the FIA
had introduced a deterrent mechanism: once the MGU-K
is disabled, it remains unavailable for 60 seconds. A
constraint sufficient to prevent any use during the race or
for most of a flying lap.
But the teams concerned
understood that this penalty had no impact after the finish line
of a flying lap, when drivers return slowly
to the pits.
Unexpected
on-track consequences for Mercedes and Red Bull
The use of this
strategy nevertheless caused notable side effects.
During the Suzuka weekend, several drivers encountered
problems on track after turning off their MGU-K.
Kimi Antonelli and
Max Verstappen were thus forced to circulate at
very low speed in the Esses, due to lack of power.
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For his part,
Alex Albon even had to stop his car during
testing.
These incidents highlighted the potential risks of this practice, especially in
qualifying, where a slowed driver could find themselves on the
trajectory of competitors on a flying lap.
Ferrari alerts, FIA decides
Faced with these risks,
Ferrari engaged in discussions with the FIA to clarify the
situation. While the Scuderia acknowledged the initial legality of
the process, it was concerned about its safety implications.
After already exchanging with
the engine manufacturers at Suzuka, the FIA has now gone further by
effectively banning this use of the system.
In a technical update
sent to the teams, the authority specifies that disabling the
MGU-K must remain strictly limited to emergency situations.
“The ‘continuous offset mode’ function must
be used only for its original purpose, namely emergency cases, and not as a systematic means to improve
performance.”
An
easily controllable ban
The FIA retains the possibility
to monitor car data to verify the
legitimacy of any MGU-K deactivation,
this central element of the 2026 F1 engines.
The 60-second lockout
remains in place as a deterrent measure, but any suspicious use
at the end of a lap can now be analyzed and
sanctioned.
This regulatory clarification puts an end to
a clever but controversial interpretation, illustrating once again the ability of Formula 1 teams to exploit
the slightest grey area in the regulations — until the FIA decides to
close the door
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