Engine manufacturer Honda wants to make clear that all innovations for the 2026 power unit are always reviewed with the FIA. In doing so the Japanese are casting doubt on Mercedes, which may have found a way to extract more power from the engine via thermal expansion. The alleged ‘engine tricks’ of the Silberpfeile – and possibly Red Bull as well – were discussed on Thursday during a meeting with the FIA.
In the run-up to the new Formula 1 season, rumours surfaced that Mercedes and Red Bull had found a method to raise the compression ratio of the new F1 engines. The FIA fixed it at 16:1 for 2026, but measures the ratio only under static conditions. On track, when the engine reaches extremely high temperatures, certain components would expand and thereby increase the compression ratio. That ultimately produces more power — roughly three-tenths of a second per lap, experts warn.
‘Everything in consultation with the FIA’
Honda, which from 2026 will supply engines exclusively to Aston Martin, is unequivocal in its stance. The Japanese outfit reportedly were among the first to flag rivals’ “engine tricks” to the FIA and said this week that they run all innovations past the organisation. “This year the new regulations come into force, including their interpretation and implementation,” Honda chief Koji Watanabe said during the presentation of the new Honda engine in Japan. “There are a lot of factors that need to be discussed.”
“So there’s a lot involved, but for now we want to set those details aside,” he continued. “What we do want to make clear is that we intend to comply with the regulations as written. Regulations do not always spell everything out concretely. Under the new rules we are therefore examining the potential of new technologies for each of the different power units. Naturally there is also significant room for interpretation, and that is part of the process,” Watanabe assured. “Ultimately it is for the FIA to determine whether something is permitted or not. Honda has many different ideas and we want to discuss them with the FIA to see if they are acceptable. That’s how we operate; we will always consult the FIA on regulatory matters,” he emphasised.
