FIA ban clever Mercedes and Red Bull F1 engine trick - report
The FIA has reportedly banned a trick used by Mercedes and Red Bull in qualifying, as both teams seemingly gained a speed advantage by circumventing an emergency rule.
racingnews365.comHere’s the latest on the topic you asked about.
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The FIA has reportedly banned a qualifying engine trick used by Mercedes and Red Bull, effectively closing the loophole that allowed a temporary speed boost on the final sector of a lap. This development was reported by multiple outlets around April 13–14, 2026.[1][3]
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The concern behind the ban centered on safety and reliability risks, including cases where cars could lose power or be unable to finish a lap after the trick was deployed. The FIA discussions and subsequent formal update to technical documents signaled a move to restrict the practice while leaving legitimate emergency shutdown provisions intact.[3][1]
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Reactions across outlets described the change as largely to “clear up” ambiguity and address safety concerns, with Ferrari and other teams pushing for clarification on the rule interpretation. The consensus from various reports is that the trick is no longer allowed for a strategic performance gain in qualifying.[5][1]
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For context, coverage also highlighted ongoing debates about rule clarity and the potential impact on competitiveness, though the perceived advantage from the trick was described as marginal by some sources.[1][5]
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If you’d like, I can pull a concise timeline of the key statements and summarize the exact regulatory changes once you confirm you want a sourced digest.[7][1]
Would you like a brief, cited timeline or a side-by-side summary of what changed in the FIA’s technical documents?
Citations:
- The Race reporting the FIA ban and the surrounding context[1]
- Racing News 365 report on FIA ban details and safety concerns[3]
- GPBlog summary of FIA action and related discussions[5]