P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes have extra ‘advantage’ thanks to their rivals
According to an insider, Mercedes seems to have an advantage over their F1 rivals in 2026 due to a loophole in the engine regulations that allows for higher compression ratios at higher temperatures, which cannot be measured by technical experts.
Mercedes will be providing power units to three extra teams in 2026, potentially benefiting from the engine trick, with McLaren, Alpine, and Williams among their customer teams.
Christian Danner pointed out that Mercedes gains an edge through their relationships with customer teams, who provide valuable data for learning how to handle the cars on the track.
In terms of engine suppliers for F1 2026, Mercedes will have the most teams with four cars on the grid, while Ferrari will provide power units to Haas and new team Cadillac.
Red Bull will produce their own power units for the first time, partnering with Racing Bulls, while Audi will take over Sauber’s power unit production.
Honda will supply engines to Aston Martin, driven by the allure of the new sustainable regulations, alongside other engine arrangements such as Ferrari, Mercedes, and Audi.
