Why Mercedes is outraged by renewed F1 engine debate

Even though the first of three pre-season tests ahead of the 2026 F1 campaign is just nine months away, discussions continue over the nature of the new power units and how they will be used.

For next season, there will be a 50-50 split in the PUs between internal combustion power and the electrical element. At this stage, the rumour in the paddock is that Mercedes has an edge on its rivals.

Perhaps understandably, Mercedes is keen to avoid any late tweaks to the regulations, yet on Thursday [Apr 24] there is a meeting of the F1 Commission that will debate a potential change.

This is a U-turn from a meeting in Bahrain ahead of that recent weekend's grand prix during which there were positive talks, yet it was understood no changes would be made for 2026.

However, it emerged on the day of the race in Saudi Arabia that the F1 Commission will discuss a proposal to make adjustments as to how the 2026 PU will be used over a race weekend, or at particular circuits.

The major concern is that with a 50-50 power split, cars will run out of battery earlier at power-sensitive circuits, such as Monza, Baku, Jeddah and Las Vegas. For the good of the sport, one suggestion is for a 60-40 split.

It is a proposal Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has long aired. There is the suggestion now he has found support among the other suppliers, which is why it is on the agenda for Thursday's meeting.

Horner insisted that after the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, he had not pushed for the matter to be raised again, that instead it was the FIA acting in the best interests of the sport.

"The FIA have gone away and done their research, and I think what they want to desperately avoid is a lot of lifting and coasting in the grand prix itself, which is going to be not particularly good for the sport and hugely frustrating for the drivers," said Horner.

Any discussion, however, will not sit well with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff. "Reading the agenda of the F1 commission is almost as hilarious as reading some of the comments that I see on Twitter on American politics," he said.

"I really want to protect ourselves and make no comment, but it's a joke. A week ago, there was an engine meeting and then things like this end up on the agenda again."

Lift and coast? Not the ideal image for F1

It is understood that the engine suppliers are seeing in simulator sessions that their drivers need to lift and coast to recharge the battery, an unwanted image for the pinnacle of motorsport when the projection should be that they are the fastest cars in the world.

When it comes to a vote over a potential rules tweak, only the five engine manufacturers are involved - Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull Powertrains, Honda and Audi. For a change to be made, four have to agree.

After the meeting in Bahrain, there did not appear to be the required support, only for the situation to change in Jeddah.

Whilst Red Bull, Audi and Ferrari are now not closing the door on possible changes, it is clear Wolff wants the topic over and done with. As for Honda, its stance is unclear.

Wolff's bitter frustration lies mainly in the fact that everyone appeared to be aligned in Bahrain.

With that first test nine months away in late January, there is still time for the PU manufacturers to make additional improvements.

This is underlined by the fact that in 2023, Red Bull's four-time F1 champion Max Verstappen suggested he would have to downshift along the main straight in Monza to conserve battery.

Now the suggestion is only about lifting and coasting, which is a considerable improvement, albeit still an undesirable one.

The fact that these question marks continue to hang over the 2026 power units is striking, particularly with next season looming large over the horizon, and with the meeting in Bahrain seemingly drawing to an end the likelihood of late changes.

Yet, here we are, just two weeks later, and the F1 Commission is due to discuss the very item Wolff thought was no longer a talking point, and so enraged him in Jeddah.

It will be interesting to see how this political game unfolds.