Christian Horner has delivered his take on the current Formula 1 power unit debate, and accusations that two teams – including former employer Red Bull – have cheated the new rules.
F1 2026 sees a new set of technical regulations, which is headed by a new V6 hybrid engine, which is now equally split between internal combusion and electric power.
The compression ratios of these new engines are set at 16:1 in ambient temperatures, as per the regulations, which has led to a loophole exploited by Red Bull and Mercedes.
Both its High Performance Powertrains departments have therefore ensured that their respective power units can be measured at 18:1 in temperatures deemed above ambient.
This gives them an apparent power advantage, which could see a potential 0.3s-a-lap difference at the Albert Park Circuit at Round 1 in Melbourne.
Both Red Bull and Mercedes have publicly defended their power units and maintained their legality, with Wolff going as far as telling the discontented OEMs to “get your s*** together.”
Wolff’s former adversary Horner, appearing on Australia’s Today programme as he prepares to embark on a speaking tour in the country prior to the new season, offered both his old team and one of his chief rivals a defence.
“That’s a big statement,” he said, when asked if both Mercedes and Red Bull were “cheating like wildcats”.
“Formula 1 is about pushing the boundaries. It’s about how you interpret regulations. [It] always has been and always will be.
“Teams that are the most conservative are the teams that are never at the front of the grid; you’ve got to be pushing the envelope.
“Of course, it’s all about how you interpret regulations and engineers, some of the brightest engineers on the planet, will be looking at those regulations and thinking: ‘Okay, how can I maximise performance?'”
READ MORE – Christian Horner makes surprising admission about arch-rival Toto Wolff
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