The loophole discovered by Mercedes and Red Bull revolves around the engine compression ratio, which simply describes how much the air-fuel mixture is squeezed inside the cylinder before it ignites.
As per old regulations, FIA had allowed an 18:1 engine compression ratio, meaning the air-fuel mixture is compressed to 1/18th of its original volume. But under new regulations, this will be changed to 16:1.
However, Mercedes and potentially Red Bull have found a loophole by using thermal expansion, reports Motorsport Magazin.
Since measurements are taken during ambient conditions, the component expansion allows engines to reach higher operating temperatures. This manoeuvre allows the engine to achieve a higher compression ratio, potentially bringing it to 2025 levels.
The report points out that the advantage could be around 15 horsepower, which could equate to an advantage of three-tenths of a lap in a circuit like Albert Park.
