Audi has urged the FIA to clarify how Formula 1 (F1) will police the new 16:1 compression‑ratio cap after claims rivals can exploit thermal expansion in conrods and other components. Reports suggest that some vehicles on‑track operating‑temperature compression could exceed the static ambient checks used for enforcement. Teams estimate that an undetected increase could be worth roughly 10–15 bhp (about 0.3–0.4s per lap).

The rules set a 16:1 limit measured in ambient conditions after a reduction from 18:1, and critics say the ban on measuring compression during an engine’s working cycle creates an enforceability gap that teams could exploit.

Audi COO Mattia Binotto raised the issue publicly at the team’s livery launch, and Audi, Ferrari, and Honda have written to the FIA. Audi technical director James Key has urged robust enforcement and likened the dispute to the 2009 double‑diffuser row.

Red Bull Powertrains director Ben Hodgkinson dismissed the concern as “a lot of noise about nothing,” saying his team has pushed to the limit of the rules. Mercedes also downplayed any impropriety, while executives at Ferrari and Honda have voiced reservations.

The FIA says it currently has no evidence of wrongdoing, points to the 2026 engine rules and the ADUO performance‑balancing framework, and says the matter is being addressed through technical forums. Binotto said he did not expect an immediate rule change and noted that race protests require demonstrable evidence of a specific breach.

A meeting of the five 2026 power‑unit suppliers and manufacturers is scheduled for Thursday, January 22, to discuss developing a real‑time methodology for measuring compression ratio and how on‑track compression should be assessed. Teams stress that meaningful enforcement is essential because power‑unit homologation freezes designs for the season, and any unchecked advantage could become effectively unassailable.

The dispute, therefore, centers on the interpretation and enforceability of the compression rules; the outcomes of the supplier and manufacturer talks, and the FIA’s ongoing technical work. These factors will determine whether measurement protocols or regulatory language must change.

Former driver Ralf Schumacher warned that Ferrari’s reported plan to pursue separate development concepts for Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc would be “a disaster” and risk undermining the team. Schumacher and team principal Fred Vasseur have both pointed to a split over setup demand: Hamilton favors rear stability versus Leclerc preferring a snappier, more responsive front end.

Ferrari halted work on last season’s SF‑25 to concentrate resources on the 2026 project. After that decision, the team fell from second to fourth in the Constructors’ standings during the final eight races, scoring less than half the points of championship winners McLaren in that run-in — a drop that increases pressure to get the SF‑26’s concept right before it reaches the track.

Ferrari plans a January 23 launch in Maranello, with a Fiorano shakedown and final assembly the day before the reveal. The launch week has drawn extra scrutiny because Mercedes will reveal its car on January 22 and Red Bull has already shown its livery; there were reports Ferrari considered delaying its unveiling.

Vasseur says the team will run a basic “Spec A” configuration in the closed Barcelona test — a fundamental setup focused on mileage and reliability — and postpone performance-focused upgrades to later tests, an approach he expects some rivals to adopt. Early public on-track comparisons will come at the Bahrain tests in February, where pace and reliability will be assessed under race-like conditions.

Concerns about an alleged horsepower shortfall have intensified, with reports that the deficit could leave Ferrari in danger of missing Q3 at the Australian GP. The preseason narrative now blends technical (the driver-setup split), strategic (prioritising reliability and development focus), and regulatory elements (reports of a possible protest over an alleged Mercedes engine “loophole”). The opening tests and first races will be pivotal in determining whether Ferrari can reconcile driver demands and close the gap to its rivals.

Racing Bulls ran their new VCARB03 on track at Imola on a limited demonstration/filming day. The team completed a short, wet-weather shakedown of roughly 15 km (three laps under Demonstration Event rules), running full-wet demonstration tyres; Liam Lawson was reported to have driven while rookie Arvid Lindblad observed. Morning teething issues were reported, and photographers quickly published the first images and spy shots of the actual race chassis following last week’s Detroit livery reveal that used showcars. The chassis name VCARB03 reflects the team’s Visa and Cash App sponsorship, and the outing also marked the first real-world appearance of the new Red Bull Powertrains–Ford engine.

Engineers used the Imola session for system checks, installation procedures, and initial data collection rather than any performance evaluation, and the team released few technical or lap-time details. Published images highlighted several styling and packaging features — a trapezoidal airbox, a nose that dives close to the front wing, narrow sidepod inlets, and pushrod front and rear suspension — which Racing Bulls said would carry forward to the Barcelona tests.

Limited filming rules constrained mileage and compound choices, so the focus was on reliability, installation checks, and producing promotional material rather than setup work. The team planned to return to Imola the following day for a longer promotional/filming session that could total about 200 km, with Lawson and Lindblad expected to share driving duties to build early mileage. The Imola outings were presented as a prelude to the official Barcelona pre-season test window, Jan. 26–30, and further preparation ahead of the competitive season.

Team boss Alan Permane has warned of frenetic development early in the new rules cycle; Racing Bulls is balancing an aggressive update plan with parts-production timelines as it moves from these demonstration runs into full testing and race preparation after finishing sixth in last season’s Constructors’ Championship.

Mercedes confirmed that long-serving director of car design John Owen has resigned and will depart the team over the course of the 2026 season. He will remain with Mercedes to support sign-off on the 2026 W17 and to hand over responsibilities before beginning a period of gardening leave later in the year; Owen has said he plans to take a break from F1 after the transition. The team described the exit as an orderly, planned transition aimed at preserving continuity on the 2026 programme.

Owen’s motorsport career began in the early 2000s at Reynard and Sauber before he joined the Brackley operation in 2007, later serving as principal aerodynamicist on Brawn GP’s 2009 title-winning campaign. Over his time at Brackley, he led the design of 17 F1 cars, including the recently completed W17, and was a central figure in Mercedes’ dominance through the hybrid era — notably the constructors’ run from 2014–21 and multiple drivers’ championships. Team statements thanked him for his long service and highlighted the cultural and technical role he played in the Silver Arrows’ success.

To ensure an internal, phased handover, Mercedes has promoted engineering director Giacomo Tortora to take on the director of car design duties while deputy technical director Simone Resta will oversee the wider design group, with Tortora reporting to Resta during the transition. The restructuring is presented as intended to maintain technical momentum on the 2026 car and provide continuity of leadership. Mercedes said the vacancy will be filled from within and that the handover will be managed across the season to protect ongoing development work while Owen moves toward gardening leave later in the year.

Honda and Aston Martin jointly unveiled the RA626H in a livestream and a Tokyo event. Honda presented it as its first power unit purpose-built for the 2026 technical regulations, highlighting a near 50/50 split between internal-combustion and electric power, a substantially larger battery pack, and expanded control electronics.

Honda deliberately limited visual disclosure — publishing photos from a single angle and blurring the lower side of the assembly — leaving integration details such as MGU‑K (kinetic) mounting, packaging, routing, and cooling choices hidden. Reporting suggests the design appears to abandon the MGU‑H (heat-recovery), though Honda did not explicitly confirm that.

The launch formalised a works partnership that has been in development since early 2023 and follows Honda’s winding down of its Red Bull supply relationship. Sources differ on the exact timing; this summary follows reporting that the supply relationship wound down in 2025. Aston Martin is confirmed as Honda’s sole customer for 2026 and will effectively operate as a works team, with Honda collaborating on the programme with Aramco and Valvoline.

Aston Martin boosted its technical leadership by appointing Adrian Newey to direct the technical programme; executive chairman Lawrence Stroll acknowledged the challenges the team faces preparing for the new hybrid era.

Both partners framed the RA626H as the competitive foundation for 2026 and used the livestream to outline ambitions and a clear on-track timetable. Aston Martin will carry out a five-day, behind-closed-doors test of the AMR26 at Circuit de Catalunya beginning January 26, hold an official car unveiling on February 9, run shakedowns in Bahrain on February 11–13 and 18–20, and start the season at the Australian Grand Prix on March 8.