2026 Drama: Alleged engine loophole

[Sergej]

Autosprint and Fulvio Solms (author of the article) are not very reliable though. Better to wait for official confirmations at this stage.

[Tommy Cookers]

.. the FIA ​​carried out static hot checks with the car stationary in order to measure the compression ratio of the Mercedes power unit.
The PUAC will meet soon to finalize the measurement procedures, namely, testing at rest but replicating the powertrain's operating conditions on the track.....

testing at 0 rpm to replicate the behaviour at 12000 rpm ?

at 12000 rpm the conrod and crankshaft have a net load at TDC of about 3 tons
briefly but significantly 'stretching' the rod and 'bending' the crankshaft - further compressing the in-cylinder gas

[FNTC]

The test at "ambient" is probably not at 15k rpm either

[Emag]

According to
@autosprint, the FIA ​​carried out static hot checks with the car stationary in order to measure the compression ratio of the Mercedes power unit.

The tests were successfully completed. The PUAC (Power Unit Advisor Committee) will meet soon to finalize the measurement procedures, namely, testing at rest but replicating the powertrain's operating conditions on the track.



I don't know if it's true, but that pretty much ends the debate/controversy and could also explains Antonelli's absence from track this morning.

How? There were other cars running Mercedes PU on track this morning.

[Matt2725]

According to
@autosprint, the FIA ​​carried out static hot checks with the car stationary in order to measure the compression ratio of the Mercedes power unit.

The tests were successfully completed. The PUAC (Power Unit Advisor Committee) will meet soon to finalize the measurement procedures, namely, testing at rest but replicating the powertrain's operating conditions on the track.



I don't know if it's true, but that pretty much ends the debate/controversy and could also explains Antonelli's absence from track this morning.

How? There were other cars running Mercedes PU on track this morning.

You only need to test one. Might as well be the works team.

[Emag]

According to
@autosprint, the FIA ​​carried out static hot checks with the car stationary in order to measure the compression ratio of the Mercedes power unit.

The tests were successfully completed. The PUAC (Power Unit Advisor Committee) will meet soon to finalize the measurement procedures, namely, testing at rest but replicating the powertrain's operating conditions on the track.



I don't know if it's true, but that pretty much ends the debate/controversy and could also explains Antonelli's absence from track this morning.

How? There were other cars running Mercedes PU on track this morning.

You only need to test one. Might as well be the works team.

Why test on a mounted engine? Also why test now in the middle of the session? They could have done it yesterday in the afternoon, or after today's session ended.

[SB15]

How? There were other cars running Mercedes PU on track this morning.

You only need to test one. Might as well be the works team.

Why test on a mounted engine? Also why test now in the middle of the session? They could have done it yesterday in the afternoon, or after today's session ended.

Who knows? Either way what mostly matters is if they passed or not (if the reports are true)

[Badger]

Come on guys... They were doing a new "hot" test (that hasn't even been voted on or approved yet) in the middle of a pre-season test session? This wasn't even considered a likely outcome until a few days ago but now the FIA has turned up with all the right equipment to perform a new test that no one has yet defined? LOL.

[FittingMechanics]

If any test was done, it surely would not be done on Antonelli's engine after he did 3 laps forcing him to lose half a day. They would use a spare engine Mercedes has. They have 4 teams there, there are at least 4 more engines, probably even more.

We need to remember that most of these websites make things up for clicks.

[gearboxtrouble]

It is hard to believe that they would have come up with a credible hot compression test and then performed it overnight. The only way this story is true is if Mercedes themselves tried something to show their hot compression ratio to the FIA.

[Hoffman900]

This whole thing is a farce, from the rules, to the “test”, etc.

[basti313]

This whole thing is a farce, from the rules, to the “test”, etc.

Yes. "The Test" does simply not exist. Or can anyone here explain how some FIA staff walks into the garage, gets on the F1 car rolling in, and measures the CR??? This is simply impossible, there is no measurement they can take like this.

[fourmula1]

If I had to take a guess now it seems like we know absolutely nothing.....the only thing we have are rules and updates to the rules....not sure if anyone has that timeline.

[Hoffman900]

This whole thing is a farce, from the rules, to the “test”, etc.

Yes. "The Test" does simply not exist. Or can anyone here explain how some FIA staff walks into the garage, gets on the F1 car rolling in, and measures the CR??? This is simply impossible, there is no measurement they can take like this.

Yes there is, a Katech Whistler is used by many sanctioning bodies and is surprisingly accurate when compared against actual measurements. I’ve shared this many times.

But “hot” in the pits doesn’t capture what’s happening in a running / firing engine.

[basti313]

This whole thing is a farce, from the rules, to the “test”, etc.

Yes. "The Test" does simply not exist. Or can anyone here explain how some FIA staff walks into the garage, gets on the F1 car rolling in, and measures the CR??? This is simply impossible, there is no measurement they can take like this.

Yes there is, a Katech Whistler is used by many sanctioning bodies and is surprisingly accurate when compared against actual measurements. I’ve shared this many times.

But “hot” in the pits doesn’t capture what’s happening in a running / firing engine.

I do not really believe that these gas displacement methods work well due to gas expansion...but, ok I guess you are right.
If they use the simpel orifice method to trick the compression, this slow pressure method will read ok values, as air can go through the orifice during the test. As you mention, it does not assess the firing engine. So this will show 16.