Jan.21 (GMM) Mattia Binotto has warned that unresolved questions over how Formula 1 measures engine compression ratios could hand rivals a decisive early advantage, on the eve of a crucial FIA meeting with power unit manufacturers.
Speaking as Audi unveiled its 2026 livery on Tuesday, the former Ferrari boss – now leading Audi’s F1 project – said the current framework leaves too much uncertainty surrounding rumours that Mercedes and Red Bull-Ford may have exploited a loophole once engines reach operating temperature.
“We need new rules for measuring compression ratio,” Binotto told Corriere della Sera.
While stressing that Audi is realistic about its own starting position, Binotto made clear that the issue goes beyond competitive paranoia.
“We certainly don’t expect our powertrain to be the best right from the start, because that would be unrealistic,” he said. “But if this is true, the difference in performance and lap times will be significant, and this could play a role in the upcoming season.”
According to Binotto, the January 22 meeting with the FIA is not about banning concepts retroactively, but about fixing a structural weakness in the regulations.
“At the moment, there are only rumours that the Mercedes engine could have a higher-than-permitted compression ratio at high temperatures,” he explained. “But there are no means of knowing or proving it. You can’t protest if you don’t know what you’re protesting about.”
“What will be discussed will not be a clarification of the regulations, but rather how to find a solution that allows us, in the future, to measure compression ratio in operating conditions, in real time, while the car is moving – and not only when the engine is cold and disassembled.”
Audi is not alone in pushing for clarity. Honda, which revealed its own 2026 power unit in Tokyo on the same day, also acknowledged the grey areas inherent in the new rules.
Aston Martin’s Andy Cowell described compression ratio as an inevitable flashpoint under fresh regulations.
“Every manufacturer studies the rules and tries to squeeze out the maximum,” he said. “The FIA’s job is to ensure that everyone interprets the regulations fairly and uniformly – and that work is ongoing right now.”
Honda president Toshihiro Mibe was more explicit about where responsibility lies.
“The regulations don’t specify everything very clearly, point by point,” he said. “There’s a lot of room for interpretation, and that’s also part of the race. In the case of the FIA, it’s up to them to decide whether it’s good or bad – they have to take responsibility.”
Koji Watanabe, president of Honda Racing Corporation, struck a more cautious note, saying only that Honda intends to “comply with and respect the regulations” while discussions continue.
Drivers, meanwhile, are keeping their distance from the technical politics. Max Verstappen said the issue is firmly out of his hands.
“That’s impossible to know,” Verstappen said when asked what impact the controversy will have on track. “Everyone does everything they can. I’m not hired as an engineer for the engine. This is something between the FIA and the engine suppliers to solve.”
One manufacturer pointedly absent from the complaints is Ferrari. Cadillac team boss Graeme Lowdon, whose squad will run Ferrari engines in 2026, made that clear.
“What I’m very confident about is that we have a fully legal engine,” Lowdon said. “With these engines, combustion isn’t allowed at a compression ratio of more than 16 to 1. We know Ferrari has fully complied with the regulations. That gives us a lot of confidence.”
As the FIA prepares to sit down with manufacturers on January 22, expectations are deliberately modest. Binotto insists no quick fix is coming.
“If the solution really exists, it could mean a significant difference in performance,” he said. “That’s why this meeting is about developing a future methodology – not an immediate compromise.”