A qualifying trick used by Mercedes and Red Bull Formula 1 groups for a velocity increase on the finish of a lap has been banned by the FIA, The Race can reveal.
Those producers had discovered a intelligent option to bypass mandated energy discount calls for that have to be adopted as automobiles burn by their battery power on the straights.
Rather than operating in a ‘ramp down’ price on the cost to the timing line on the finish of a qualifying lap – the place energy usually must be decreased by 50kW each second to keep away from a sudden drop off – they have been capable of run at most deployment for so long as they might.
This might simply give them a 50kW-100kW benefit for a brief time period over others whose energy was being decreased.
While such a acquire might solely have been price a fraction of a second, within the hundredths moderately than tenths at some tracks, it was nonetheless clearly price chasing within the struggle for grid positions.
But the FIA has now clamped down on that apply.
Avoiding ramp down
The Mercedes- and Red Bull-powered groups have been capable of make use of this most deployment trick as a result of there’s scope within the F1 laws to not be required to observe the ramp down requirement if the MGU-Ok is shut for technical causes, equivalent to in an emergency.
This software program mode to disable the MGU-Ok had been put within the guidelines to keep away from the danger of energy unit elements being broken if hassle is detected by a staff.
The issue then got here in defining what’s a official cause to close the engine down and what was being performed for aggressive benefit.
So when it turned clear that this MGU-Ok shutdown route did open the door for groups to get across the ramp down charges by activating it, separate measures have been put in to discourage groups from doing it.
The primary one was a requirement (formally generally known as a “continuous offset” mode) that, if the MGU-Ok is shut down by a driver, then it is going to be locked out from use for 60 seconds in complete after that.
This deterrent ensured there could be no profit to utilizing this offset trick throughout a race or most of a qualifying lap – because the losses from not having the additional 350kW of energy from the MGU-Ok for an entire minute could be too nice.
But Mercedes and Red Bull realised that, as a result of drivers don’t want the MGU-Ok for a decelerate lap after a qualifying effort, utilizing the trick might convey beneficial properties in that remaining run to the timing line with none theoretical draw back as a result of velocity was not essential because the automobiles returned to the pits.
Big issues
Rivals first noticed Mercedes and Red Bull doing this in Australia however the matter got here to a head on the Japanese Grand Prix on the finish of March when some unintended penalties of the trick have been blown into the open.
Drivers from each producers discovered that, with the MGU-Ok unavailable following a qualifying (or qualifying simulation) effort, there have been huge dangers of their automobiles grinding to a halt.
During apply in Japan, Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen each had moments the place they have been left limping by the Suzuka Esses due to a scarcity of energy.
And Williams’s Alex Albon was compelled to cease on observe in apply fully due to issues precipitated by the problem.
There had been comparable issues on the 2026 season opener in Melbourne when drivers slowed after apply lap simulations, nevertheless it had not been clear to everybody on the time that this was linked to the trick.
It is known the trick was not utilized in China as a result of the gap from the ultimate nook to the road was so quick.
As The Race revealed after the Japanese GP, the FIA had conversations with the producers in Suzuka to clarify that, whereas the MGU-Ok trick was inside the guidelines, groups wanted to make sure there weren’t issues that left automobiles struggling to proceed laps if it was used.
In qualifying particularly this might have proved harmful and left drivers in compromised positions in the event that they all of a sudden discovered themselves hobbling round whereas others have been on fast laps.
Ferrari’s FIA talks
Rivals producers who had first noticed the trick being utilized in Australia had been evaluating in the event that they wanted to observe go well with and undertake it.
Ferrari duly opened dialogue with the FIA for clarification over the problem as a result of, whereas accepting it was authorized, it had reservations in regards to the tactic being inexperienced lit due to the clear security dangers that got here from using it.
In Japan, after the issue that Antonelli confronted in apply and its conversations with the FIA, Mercedes selected to show its system off.
This was partly motivated additionally by the truth that the quick run from the ultimate chicane to the timing line at Suzuka meant the beneficial properties there weren’t as important as they might be at different tracks the place the gap is larger, so it was not price the additional dangers.
Sources have revealed that the FIA has now taken additional motion over what Mercedes and Red Bull have been doing and, in response to issues expressed by others, has successfully outlawed the trick.
In up to date technical paperwork which were despatched to groups, the FIA has made clear that whereas the power to close down the MGU-Ok will stay open to groups, it won’t tolerate this getting used for something aside from official issues.
It is known that the FIA has made clear that the “continuous offset” operate within the software program needs to be used just for its authentic goal – which was emergency conditions – and never as a scientific means of accelerating efficiency.
The lockout interval will stay in drive to function a deterrent for the shutdown trick not for use throughout most observe operating.
And the FIA ought to simply have the ability to take a look at knowledge from the tip of qualifying laps to see if any staff that does shut down its MGU-Ok has skilled a real emergency.
