Another technical behind-the-scenes chapter has emerged after the Formula 1 Japanese GP. Mercedes and Red Bull Racing have reportedly used a new ‘trick’ involving their power units, which has once again bothered Ferrari.
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According to the publication The Race, the two teams found a way to suddenly release the full 350 kW of power, instead of applying it gradually. The system would exploit a function intended for situations where the MGU-K suffers some type of shutdown, providing a small gain in lap time.
The regulations provide for a one-minute lockout after this use, precisely to prevent abuse. This makes the strategy of little use during the race, but potentially advantageous in qualifying sessions, especially on the final straight before the finish line.
Some episodes during free practice in Japan were reportedly related to this practice. Among the examples cited are the significant decelerations of Kimi Antonelli and Max Verstappen after fast laps. Also according to the publication, Mercedes reportedly did not use the feature beyond the practice sessions.
At least for the moment, the FIA understands that the use of the system is within the current rules. However, safety concerns could lead the federation to review the issue and evaluate possible changes to the regulations.
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This episode comes after another technical controversy involving Mercedes and also Red Bull Powertrains-Ford, related to the controversial compression ratio ‘trick’. At the time, the teams reached an agreement for a common solution, ending the discussion, even though Red Bull had not achieved the same success as Mercedes with this ‘trick’.
Another issue mentioned was a change in starts before the beginning of the season, considered one of Ferrari’s strengths in 2026 due to its turbo. This context also contributed to increasing the Italian team’s dissatisfaction with recent technical developments.
Even while accepting that the new approach is within the rules, Ferrari has reportedly requested additional clarifications. The Italian team understands that this is an exploitation of the rules and believes that the FIA should evaluate the situation in more depth to avoid further developments.
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