FIA approve new power unit test following vote
1st March 2026The FIA has confirmed a modification to the technical regulations in relation to the power unit tests, which will take place later this year.
Feature image credit: FIA
Over the winter months, following the conclusion of the 2025 world championship, it was widely reported that a loophole had been found within the sport’s 16:1 compression ratio.
During the final week of testing in Bahrain, the FIA and its Power Unit Advisory Committee revealed that a new test was proposed to address the testing measures for this loophole.
Under the previous regulations, the power units were only going to be tested at ambient temperatures. Now, the test will assess the ratio under both hot and cold conditions.
The FIA reported:
“A significant effort has been invested in finding a solution to the topic of the compression ratio. This parameter, which was one of the key fundamental targets of these regulations in order to attract newcomers to the sport, is limited in the regulations to 16:1, measured in cold conditions.
“The FIA has worked to find a compromise solution which determines that the compression ratio will be controlled in both hot and cold conditions from 1 June 2026, and subsequently only in the operating conditions (130°C) from 2027 onwards.
“The regulations introduced for 2026 represent one of the biggest changes in recent memory. All parties acknowledge that with the introduction of such significant regulatory changes, there are collective learnings to be taken from pre-season testing and the initial rounds of the 2026 championship.”
Mercedes was the centre of the controversy as it was stated the team managed to work a way around the 16:1 requirement, increasing it up to 18:1 when operating.
This, in turn, would provide better performance to the Brackley-based team when out on track, whilst making them legal under ambient temperatures.
With the new test, the current ambient-only tests will be conducted at the beginning of the season and will be the procedure up until May 31, 2026. From June 1, the tests will then introduce the hot-and-cold testing measures.
The amended technical regulations confirm:
“Any component, assembly, mechanism, or integrated arrangement of components that is designed or functions to increase the compression ratio in operating conditions beyond 16.0 is prohibited.”
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Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.
I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
Kamron Kent
Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
