The FIA appears to have finally taken a decision on the Mercedes engine case: here are all the details
The second day of testing in Bahrain, at the Sakhir circuit, is shaping up to be more important than ever. While on-track activity is, as always, essential to understanding the performance of this season’s cars, it is the paddock rumours that are setting the Formula 1 circus alight.
According to Autoracer, the FIA is preparing to approve a major—possibly decisive—regulatory change for the 2026 season, a move that is bound to spark controversy, particularly within Mercedes and its customer teams.
Mercedes engine case, chaos erupts: the FIA decision
As anticipated, the long-awaited response to the FIA (and to the paddock as a whole) from Toto Wolff has now arrived. The CEO and Team Principal of the Brackley-based outfit reiterated his position, stressing that he had even received reassurances from the FIA itself:
“We have received all the assurances (from the FIA, ed.) that everything we have done is fully in compliance with the regulations.”
The Mercedes case, however, is far from easy to resolve and remains extremely complex. The FIA had effectively approved and guaranteed the legality of the Brackley power unit project and those of its customer teams, only to reconsider later—following formal complaints from rival engine manufacturers—and decide to rewrite the power unit regulations.
A change made mid-course (or rather, before the season has even begun) that has done little to convince Wolff: “There is a governance process. If that governance were to vote in favour of a change to the engine regulations, then it has to be accepted“.
“That is the situation, but I believe our rivals felt disadvantaged and put pressure on the FIA for a long time. That is how things are, and in a case like this it would be damaging for all Mercedes-powered teams”.
But how much of an advantage are we really talking about? Once again, Toto Wolff was clear:
“And we’re not even talking about a massive performance gain. The advantage for us is just a few horsepower.”
Photos: Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team
