Mercedes engine ‘trick’, Horner: “Cheating is a strong word, it’s about interpretation of the regulations”

Report of misunderstanding Less than a month before the start of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship, the FIA’s position on the compression ratio of the Mercedes power unit is still unclear. The topic is delicate and the Federation, despite having given the OK to requests for clarification from Toto Wolff’s men in recent months, seems to be trying to accommodate the other angry teams – Audi, Honda and Ferrari – by seeking a compromise solution, which could be the introduction during the season of a new system for measuring this ratio with the engine not at room temperature.
All with the specter of possible complaints already at the Australian Grand Prix, a circumstance that the FIA ​​would like to avoid in any way and which certainly would not be the best calling card for the new regulatory cycle. Horner and the gray areas Speaking in recent days on the Australian TV program Today, Christian Horner responded to the question: “Did they cheat?”, posed by the journalist to the former Red Bull team principal regarding the issue of the compression ratio.
This is Horner’s response: “Well, that’s a strong statement. Formula 1 is all about pushing the limits and how you interpret the regulations. It’s always been that way and it always will be that way. The most conservative teams are never the ones ahead of everyone on the grid. You have to push the limits and it all depends on how the engineers interpret the regulations. Some of the best engineers on the planet will be looking at them and wondering how to maximize performance.”