Cadillac's Andretti praises Mercedes and Red Bull's smart engine 'trick'

22:00, 13 Jan

Updated: 23:19, 13 Jan

byLudo van Denderen

Mario Andretti applauds Mercedes and Red Bull for coming up with a 'trick' to extract more performance from their new engines. The former world champion is not in favor of late adjustments to the power units for this season to nullify the manufacturers’ advantage, he said in an exclusive interview with GPblog.

Mercedes and Red Bull Ford are using a 'trick' to increase the compression ratio between the cylinder’s maximum and minimum volume. The regulations state that it may not be higher than a 16:1 ratio. But teams also know: the higher that is, the more performance their engine delivers.

Mercedes and Red Bull discovered a clever workaround

It is now known that clever designs are being used to reach a higher ratio while still staying within the rules. Manufacturers are said to do this because the compression ratio is only measured when the engine is not at full operating temperature at the track.

It is said that engines have components that expand once the engine is warm, pressing the piston closer to the top of the cylinder than when the engine is cold. This increases the ratio, adds performance, and reduces fuel consumption.

Ferrari, Audi, and Honda are lobbying the FIA to ban this Mercedes and Red Bull invention before the start of the season. On January 22, this will be one of the topics during a meeting between the teams and the FIA.

Cadillac livery for the test in Barcelona - Photo: Cadillac

Andretti stands for innovation

Six of the eleven teams use a Mercedes or Red Bull Ford power unit, so there isn’t a majority demanding changes anyway. Mario Andretti’s words also suggest a seventh team does not see the need for a change. The former Formula 1 world champion is part of the board of directors as an adviser to the new Cadillac team, which uses Ferrari engines.

“There is a technical meeting to clarify that, but it's almost too late because engines already have been designed," Andretti explained to GPblog.

"It's just like a lawyer reading the law. Some lawyers are better than others, because they know how to go right to the gray area just before it gets red. And that's how engineering is the same thing, when they read the rules. How far can we go?

Mario Andretti - Photo: RacePictures

No worries at Cadillac

There is a real chance Ferrari is behind in terms of performance, and thus Cadillac as a customer team as well. However, Andretti is not overly concerned.

“Let's wait and see. I have all the confidence in the world in Ferrari in that respect and if they don't get it right away, they will.”

“There's no concern. I think we're very fortunate that Ferrari is part of the project as we start. I don't think we could be in better hands, quite honestly. So that part, there's no real concern in that,” the 1978 world champion concluded.

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