FIA orders hot and cold engine tests after Mercedes row

The FIA published unanimous amendments to the 2026 F1 regulations a week before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, introducing a technical fix to compression-ratio testing after rivals accused Mercedes of conducting tests at ambient temperatures that effectively exceeded the 16:1 compression limit. Under the changes, compression-ratio tests will be carried out in both hot and cold conditions from June 1 for the remainder of the season, while testing at full operating temperature (130°C) has been deferred until 2027. The FIA said it will continue to evaluate related energy-management issues and signaled that qualifying changes will place greater emphasis on electrical energy management.

The wider 2026 rule reset — described by observers as the biggest regulatory overhaul in the sport’s history — forces teams to start from scratch with new cars, engines and active aerodynamics, and power units that split energy roughly 50/50 between combustion and batteries. The package combines immediate regulatory fixes with transitional timelines and contains a number of qualifying and calendar adjustments: Q1 and Q2 eliminations increase from five drivers to six; Q3 is extended to 13 minutes; the interval between Q2 and Q3 is shortened from eight to seven minutes; the one-off 2025 Monaco rule requiring three sets of dry tires was shelved; and the arrival of Cadillac as F1’s 11th team was cited as a partial prompt for the qualifying tweaks. The reset, across a 24-race calendar running until December, widens the scope for surprising results and unexpected championship contenders.

The timing of the amendments sharpened tensions ahead of the Australian opener, with reports of possible protests in Melbourne and the FIA proposing a potential mid-season rule change in response to the controversy. Commentators pointed to historical season-opening disputes — from the drivers’ strike at Kyalami in 1982 to the 2009 Australian “lie-gate” and other legal and technical upheavals — to frame the present unease. Analysts say teams that best integrate engines and chassis, manage electrical energy and execute rapid in-season development are most likely to convert the 2026 reset into sustained on-track success; Mercedes, aided by a strong pre-season showing and its 2014 pedigree, are widely viewed as early favorites, while Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull remain credible contenders. The Monaco Grand Prix on June 7 will be the first race to fall under the revised compression-ratio testing regime.