Suppliers Meet on Jan 22 to Craft Real-Time Compression Test

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 so 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 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 Jan. 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 interpretation and enforceability of the compression rules; the outcomes of the supplier/manufacturer talks and the FIA’s ongoing technical work will determine whether measurement protocols or regulatory language must change.