P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The FIA has banned a deployment trick used by Mercedes and Red Bull to gain performance in qualifying.
The FIA has cracked down on Mercedes and Red Bull for their qualifying tricks in Formula 1, specifically regarding battery deployment techniques.
The new F1 regulations introduced in 2026 have brought attention to loopholes that teams have been exploiting to gain advantages.
The power unit rules now require a gradual reduction in power to ensure safety on the track and prevent sudden slowdowns.
Teams were found shutting down the MGU-K and dumping all the energy, bypassing the power reduction rule and gaining a significant advantage.
Although using this tactic had minimal performance benefits, it raised safety concerns and compromised the fairness of qualifying sessions.
The FIA has addressed this issue by instructing teams to use the MGU-K for its intended purpose only and not as a systematic way to enhance performance during qualifying.
Despite the minimal gains from this trick, it has sparked controversy and brought to light the need for stricter enforcement of regulations to maintain fairness and safety in Formula 1.
