Source:IMAGO IMAGES SPORTS/IMAGO/Dennis Goodwin
[Saba Sports News] The controversy surrounding the engine compression ratios for the 2026 season continues to escalate. Former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner recently spoke out, stating that labeling the related practices as cheating is unfair. In his view, F1 has always been a sport that challenges the boundaries of rules, and what engineers do is simply utilize the permitted space within the rules to pursue maximum performance.
There is a widespread belief that Mercedes and the Red Bull-Ford power unit have found ways to increase engine compression ratios within the regulatory framework, which has caused some anxiety among competitors. According to current regulations, compression ratios are measured only under standard temperature conditions, without restrictions on the engine’s state during actual operation and after temperatures have risen. Reports suggest that this allows the relevant engines to run with compression ratios potentially higher than their nominal values on the track, thereby gaining an advantage in efficiency and performance.
In response, Horner stated in an interview with Australian media that the most conservative teams often do not appear at the front of the grid during races. The essence of the rules is not just to impose limits, but to interpret and apply them, and the responsibility of top engineers is to constantly seek performance breakthroughs. He emphasized that as long as there is no violation of the text, there can be no claims of improper behavior.
In my opinion, the likelihood of rapid adjustments to the rules in the short term is low, especially given the context that Mercedes and Red Bull control the power supply for more than half of the teams.