2026 Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team

[Matt2725]

Mercedes had a 500hp advantage until 2024 don't you know.

Like are we just going to throw out random numbers without proof now?

[dans79]

How is the compression ratio worded in the rules? If merc and FIA were in contact during the developement and FIA said it was OK, then merc will be allowed to race with the engine. Just immagine the legal shitstorm they would get themselves into if they change the rules now

It reads like every other ruleset I have read regardless of series, geometric compression measured at ambient temperature. It's one of the reasons I think the entire topic is just hot air , and i don't root for MB.

[SB15]

Really as much as it's a benefit, I don't want Mercedes to put all their hopes on some obscene engine advantage when they have 2 capable drivers. All they need is the car to be there just enough for them to make a difference.

[F1subman25]

How is the compression ratio worded in the rules? If merc and FIA were in contact during the developement and FIA said it was OK, then merc will be allowed to race with the engine. Just immagine the legal shitstorm they would get themselves into if they change the rules now

Maybe highlight the first line of that regulation.

It reads like every other ruleset I have read regardless of series, geometric compression measured at ambient temperature. It's one of the reasons I think the entire topic is just hot air , and i don't root for MB.
https://i.ibb.co/Tj2YMmk/rule.png

[CjC]

Mercedes had a 500hp advantage until 2024 don't you know.

Like are we just going to throw out random numbers without proof now?

Well… it’s a bit like the situation we are in now, how do the other teams really know what the compression ratio is for the Mercedes when it’s fully up to temperature out in track!?!

[Schumalonso]

Mercedes only winning 2014-2016 because of ther PU is such revisionist history... Ferrari was properly competitive from 2015 onward on the PU side (Bernie Ecclestone had an interesting theory on how they improved so much from 2014 to 2015, but I digress...).

The Scuderia team was asked in 2015 before their home GP (Monza) how they feel about their chances against Mercedes given their "engine supremacy", and Arrivabene himself answerd that he "doesn't think there is much difference" between the two manufacturers on the PU side anymore, it is on record, and there were other comments that season also, Günther Steiner was also a character who always tried to dispel that myth every time he was asked about the topic in following seasons, the perception presists, nevertheless...


As for the topic at hand, I think the fact that rivals are pressing down on this so hard now (and that Red Bull is rumoured to have switched sides) is a pretty good indication of what the paddock thinks the pecking order is before the start of the season (and I REALLY DOUBT it's the actual Mercedes PU itself that scared them by registering eyebrow-raisisng longitudinal acceleartion figures on a "shakedown"...)...

LMAO. Mercedes was tuning down their engines as Paddy Lowe is on record saying.

Arrivabene is probably one of the worst principals in Ferrari history. I know more about cars than he does, and I don’t know much.

Mercedes had an 80bhp advantage until at least 2016 thanks to the token system. In 2017 still they could wipe Ferrari in Spa for example, but clearly was not as big of a difference by then and 2018 was in play.

80bhp? Are you sure?... I heard rumours of 110...

You know more about cars (and presumably, the stance of their teams on issues of the time) than Maurizio and Günther, sure... But if Mercedes turned their engines down, at least that is an admission that THEY WEREN'T winning because of PU supremacy after all, no?

People always talk about their power advantage which was significant - but their greatest advantage, in my opinion, was their efficiency.

[AR3-GP]

Don't believe everything you read on the internet.

[WardenOfTheNorth]

[quote=dans79 post_id=1322711 time=1770399656 It's one of the reasons I think the entire topic is just hot air.

[/quote]

Just ambient air surely?

[WardenOfTheNorth]

I just saw another update on Reddit. It seems the FIA is not going to make any change after all. Any changes to the test method will be for 2027.

That’s not what I’ve heard, although I do believe it’s the most likely outcome.

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/merc ... melbourne/

The Race is a tabloid looking for clicks. Take anything in their with a tablespoon of salt.

[Lasssept]

[MB_Racer]

Really as much as it's a benefit, I don't want Mercedes to put all their hopes on some obscene engine advantage when they have 2 capable drivers. All they need is the car to be there just enough for them to make a difference.

Good point Sir, fully agreed!

[Big Tea]

LMAO. Mercedes was tuning down their engines as Paddy Lowe is on record saying.

Arrivabene is probably one of the worst principals in Ferrari history. I know more about cars than he does, and I don’t know much.

Mercedes had an 80bhp advantage until at least 2016 thanks to the token system. In 2017 still they could wipe Ferrari in Spa for example, but clearly was not as big of a difference by then and 2018 was in play.

80bhp? Are you sure?... I heard rumours of 110...

You know more about cars (and presumably, the stance of their teams on issues of the time) than Maurizio and Günther, sure... But if Mercedes turned their engines down, at least that is an admission that THEY WEREN'T winning because of PU supremacy after all, no?

People always talk about their power advantage which was significant - but their greatest advantage, in my opinion, was their efficiency.

This team have a history of sleight of hand. Is it distraction again and the real advantage is quietly tucked away out of the limelight?

[DJ Downforce]

Merc had a decent engine advantage from 2014-16. But it was more than just that.

From 2017 onwards it wasn't the clear fastest car anymore. 2018 Hamilton was on top form and beat Vettel in what was probably a slightly slower car.

2019 it was fastest in most races but not all. It was a weird season..

2020 it was fastest at all but one or two races where they had tyre problems

End of discussion.. could we get back to the 2026 Mercedes team

[FDD]

How is the compression ratio worded in the rules? If merc and FIA were in contact during the developement and FIA said it was OK, then merc will be allowed to race with the engine. Just immagine the legal shitstorm they would get themselves into if they change the rules now

It reads like every other ruleset I have read regardless of series, geometric compression measured at ambient temperature. It's one of the reasons I think the entire topic is just hot air , and i don't root for MB.
https://i.ibb.co/Tj2YMmk/rule.png

With 3 materials allowed to the teams to be used in engine build, important diff is not possible, so yes, is just hot air.
Also if they eventually manage to exploit thermal expansion in extent to obtain significant impact on CR, then different expansion on different parts cause of their different dimensions, should be disproportional resulting in engine brake.

[Lasssept]