Red Bull reject 'noise' tag over contentious F1 power unit issue

Red Bull does not care if the F1 regulations "go left or right" on the power unit compression ratio controversy that has engulfed the paddock, Laurent Mekies has said.

However, the team principal of the six-time F1 constructors' champion was keen to dismiss the suggestion that the issue is merely "noise."

The Frenchman, who missed the first official pre-season test at the Bahrain International Circuit, insisted that either way, the Milton Keynes-based squad simply wants clarity on the situation.

With the introduction of all-new power unit rules for the 2026 F1 season, the allowed compression ratio of engines has been reduced from 18:1 to 16:1, but Mercedes High Performance Powertrains (HPP) has used materials that allow its internal combustion engines (ICE) to return to the previous ratio when running at operating temperatures.

The technical side of the issue is well-trodden ground at this stage, but the higher the ratio, the better — and with the compression ratio only tested at ambient temperature, Mercedes HPP has cleverly circumvented the regulations for its works team and customer outfits — McLaren, Alpine and Williams.

The advantage is rumoured to be worth potentially a few tenths of a second per lap, and rival power unit manufacturers are not happy with Mercedes' interpretation of the regulations.

The Power Unit Advisory Committee met earlier in the day in Sakhir, where the subject will have been a matter for debate, with Ferrari, Audi, Honda and Red Bull believed to be in favour of late changes to the rulebook.

A critical vote has now been scheduled by the PUAC to decide on whether to change the measuring rules mid-season, with full details available here.

Interestingly, the lattermost provider — in its first season as a true works team — is understood to have devised a similar solution to Mercedes.

It has been reported that Red Bull has since decided to come down against the eight-time constructors' champions, but that may not be entirely the case.

Speaking to media, including RacingNews365, Mekies highlighted how it had been widely speculated that it was unclear what his team's stance was and moved to set the record straight.

The 48-year-old explained: "The simple truth is that we don't really mind if the regs go left or if the regs go right; what we absolutely want is clarity on what we can do and what we cannot do.

"And that's what we are working on with the FIA and the other power unit manufacturers, to have absolute clarity, and I'm confident that we will reach that point."

Vowles plays it down

The subject has been a defining issue of pre-season, and with the threat of the matter spilling over into the opening round in Melbourne, all parties want a speedy resolution.

Sitting alongside Mekies in the FIA press conference at the Bahrain International Circuit on the first day of the second official test, Williams boss James Vowles branded it "noise" and played down its significance.

He went on to claim it "isn't a big ticket item" in the F1 championship fight. But Mekies disagreed.

"We don't think it's noise," he quickly responded. "We think we must have clarity.

"Again, as we said earlier, we are not stressed if it goes left or if it goes right, but we must have clarity on what we can and what we cannot do.

"It's true that it's early days, but it will come to a point very quickly where any competitive advantage — whether it is one, three, three, whatever number of tenths — is going to make a difference.

"So what we want is clarity, and I will agree with James [Vowles] on thinking that we will get that clarity — hopefully very soon."