Red Bull is set to side with rival Formula 1 engine manufacturers regarding the supposed power unit loophole found by Mercedes ahead of the new season, according to reports.
The furore around the loophole surfaced last month, when it was reported that both Mercedes and Red Bull’s respective powertrains departments found it within the new rulebook.
In it, it is stated that the compression ratio of the new 50-50 V6 hybrids is 16:1, as opposed to the 18:1 from the previous regulations cycle, when the hybrids were 80-20 in favour of internal combusion power.
Mercedes and Red Bull developed their respective power units on the basis that the compression ratio is measured in ambient temperatures, and therefore could maximise theirs to 18:1 when hotter.
Ahead of the launch of its RB22, Red Bull Powertrains chief Ben Hodkinson was categorical in his stance that its engine, developed with Ford, was perfectly legal.
And this week, Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff issued a similar defiance of its PU, saying it “corresponds to how the regulations are written,” and even went as far as telling its discontented rivals to “get your s*** together”.
Even former Red Bull boss Christian Horner came out in defence of both his former employer and former rivals for their ingenuity, amid the other OEMs – Audi, Ferrari and Honda – calling a meeting with the FIA for clarity on the subject.
It is believed that these manufacturers have called for a change in the rules to enable a measurement of the compression ratios when hot, potentially leaving Mercedes vulnerable.
Reports from Corriere dello Sport have suggested that the FIA have green-lit this idea, but this is so far unconfirmed.
However, a further report from AutoRacer says that one thing that has transpired from a further meeting with the FIA, and one of the Power Unit Advisory Committee [PUAC], is that Red Bull is now aligned with the discontented three.
This will come as a huge surprise, given that Hodgkinson had been open about its usage of the loophole and the apparent firmness on its legality.
Motorsport Week understands that this is due to the discovery of a possible lack of performance advantage gained from its own interpretation of the loophole.
Wolff adamant Mercedes has FIA backing amid alleged Red Bull change of mind
Whilst this may initially appear as a huge blow to Mercedes, as Red Bull’s positioning with Audi, Ferrari and Honda would necessitate a ‘super majority vote’.
But, the PUAC rules state that this is not the only requirement to enforce an immediate rewrite of the rules, as the FIA and FOM will need to be also on board with the proposal of such a rewrite.
The old FISA-FOCA [the old iterations of both respective organisations] wars are now very much a thing of the past, and therefore the likelihood is both would vote the same, and so far, all indications have been that the sport’s governing body has been accepting of Mercedes’ discovery and usage of the loophole.
Despite the FIA’s single seater director, Nicholas Tombazis, previously stating that exploitation of the new rulebook would be “suicide” for teams, Wolff stated to media including media including Motorsport Week that the organisation, including president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, was aligned with the German marque.
“That’s how we see the world today, and that’s what the FIA said,” he said. “That’s what the president of the FIA said, and he knows a bit about that. In that respect, let’s wait and see. But we feel robust.”
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