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Former Mercedes power unit guru Andy Cowell has questioned the alleged power unit advantage the Silver Arrows holds over its competitors ahead of the new Formula 1 season. Cowell oversaw the highly successful Mercedes High Performance Powertrains division during its dominant 2014 to 2021 era, resulting in eight consecutive constructor titles. Now at Aston Martin, […]
Former Mercedes power unit guru Andy Cowell has questioned the alleged power unit advantage the Silver Arrows holds over its competitors ahead of the new Formula 1 season. Cowell, overseeing Mercedes High Performance Powertrains during its dominant era, raised concerns regarding engine compression ratios in 2026. Mercedes is rumored to exploit a regulation loophole for a potential lap time advantage, with a compression ratio of 18:1 compared to the permitted 16:1, albeit only in the pit lane. Cowell views this controversy as typical in modern F1, sparking debate and discussions. He supports Mercedes’ innovative approach but warns that the FIA will closely monitor the results to ensure fair competition among all power unit manufacturers. Mercedes recently conducted a successful shakedown of the W17 at Silverstone, emphasizing their commitment to pushing performance boundaries within the regulations while competitors also strive for optimal efficiency.
