The FIA has reportedly banned a trick used by Mercedes and Red Bull in qualifying, as both teams seemingly gained a speed advantage by circumventing an emergency rule.
The FIA has banned a clever qualifying trick used by Mercedes and Red Bull to gain speed advantages at the end of laps. This was discovered during the regulation overhaul this year, with the introduction of new power units. The trick involved maintaining maximum power deployment instead of following the required ‘ramp down’ procedure, exploiting MGU-K shutdown regulations. Despite creating safety concerns during the Japanese Grand Prix, where power losses affected drivers, teams used this loophole for performance gains. Ferrari raised safety issues, leading the FIA to issue directives limiting MGU-K shutdowns to true emergencies and not for performance enhancements.
