'Mercedes annoys Ferrari again with new engine trick'

Mercedes and Red Bull have found a way to use to suddenly deploy all 350 kW instead of doing it gradually, taking advantage of a system that comes into play should any issue cause the MGU-K to shut down, leading to a small lap time gain.

In the rules, to stop abusing this sudden deployment, a lockout then happens for a minute. This makes it not useful during a race, but in qualifying, it could be utilized on the final straight before crossing the finish line.

Alexander Albon's sudden stop on track during practice sessions, and Kimi Antonelli and Max Verstappen slowing down considerably after their fast laps are cited as examples. The Race also reports that Mercedes did not use the trick beyond practice. The FIA is said to accept the use of this would be within the rules, but safety issues could cause the federation to act.

This comes after the hotly-debated compression ratio 'trick', for which a solution with all teams in agreement has already been found.

A previous change to race starts ahead of the season, which has been Ferrari's strengths so far in 2026 due to its turbo, is also cited as an example for the Italian's annoyance.

It is reported that Ferrari accepts this new 'trick' is within the rules, but wants further clarification and believes it is an exploitation the FIA should act upon.