FIA-engineers meeting, no compromises or changes on the horizon: a new real-time measurement for the future on the table

Engine case, the position of the FIA ​​After receiving a letter from Audi, Honda and Ferrari, the International Federation decided to intervene on the issue of the “trick” of the compression ratio of the power units, which Mercedes would have managed to raise from the measurement of 16:1 when cold to 18:1 in operation. Something that could guarantee the single-seaters powered by the Silver Arrows (McLaren, Mercedes, Williams and Alpine) a significant advantage, even by a few tenths. The FIA ​​has thus decided to call a meeting for tomorrow, Thursday 22 January, to discuss with all the engine manufacturers, after having initially given the OK to the solution studied by Mercedes in recent months. The Federation motivated the meeting with the desire to ensure that the regulation is understood and applied in the same way by all participants. And Audi, Honda and Ferrari are focusing precisely on this, on the violation of the spirit of point 1.5, which underlines how all cars must fully comply with the regulations at all times of the competition. But the regulations also explain in detail the measurement of the compression ratio and it is expressly indicated that it must be measured when cold, with the engine off. In short, a more than thorny case in the hands of the FIA. FIA-engineers meeting, what will be discussed The topics on the table for tomorrow’s discussion were revealed by the Audi F1 operations director, Mattia Binotto, on the sidelines of the presentation of his car.
The Italian engineer explained, without mincing words: “I don’t think that clarity will be clarified or a compromise will be reached. The main objective of the meeting is to continue to discuss how to improve or develop a methodology that can allow the compression ratio to be measured in operating conditions in the future”. Binotto underlined that the topic risks being infinite: “Today we are measuring it cold with the engine disassembled, so to find out if we are compliant we will have to wait until the end of the season. We are all trying together to develop a methodology to measure it in real time with the car running”.
So could there be any official complaints for the Australian Grand Prix? Not really, because Mattia Binotto underlined: “You can protest if you know what you are protesting against”, that is, towards a specific element that violates the rules. And in this intricate case it might not be so simple…