FIA BANS MERCEDES AND RED BULL POWER TRICK IN QUALIFYING
The FIA has banned a qualifying trick as per The Race: teams using engines from Mercedes and Red Bull discovered a clever way to briefly gain extra electrical power at the very end of a lap. This power comes from the MGU-K.
Under normal rules, as the battery energy is used up near the end of a lap, the system must gradually reduce its power output so it does not suddenly drop to zero.
The teams realized that if the MGU-K system was turned off just before the finish line, the normal “power reduction” rule would not apply. This allowed the car to keep using full electrical power for slightly longer before crossing the timing line.
Even though the advantage lasted only a very short time, it could provide an extra 50 to 100 kilowatts of power. In qualifying, where lap times are often separated by only hundredths of a second, that small boost could help a driver gain a better grid position.
The rules already allowed teams to switch off the MGU-K if there was a technical problem. To prevent teams from abusing this feature, the regulations include a rule called “continuous offset,” which disables the MGU-K for about 60 seconds after it has been turned off.
Normally this would be a big disadvantage because the car would lose electric power for a long time. However, the teams realized that at the end of a qualifying lap the driver slows down and returns to the pits anyway, so losing the system for a minute would not really matter.
Other teams first noticed this behavior earlier in the season and started questioning whether it should be allowed. During practice at the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka Circuit, the tactic caused unexpected problems.
Because the MGU-K stayed disabled for a minute after the lap ended, some drivers suddenly had very little power while still driving around the track. Drivers such as Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli were seen struggling through corners with reduced performance, and Alex Albon even had to stop on track during practice.
These situations raised safety concerns because a slow car on the racing line could be dangerous while others are still pushing at full speed. Rival teams also began asking the FIA, the governing body of the sport, whether this trick should be considered acceptable. While the rule technically allowed it, the FIA became worried that teams were using a system meant for emergencies purely for performance gains.
After discussions with several manufacturers, including Ferrari, the FIA decided to step in. New technical guidance has now been sent to all teams making it clear that the MGU-K shutdown feature should only be used when there is a real technical issue. If the system is turned off without a legitimate reason, the FIA can check the car’s data and take action.
Because of this clarification, the qualifying trick that briefly boosted power at the end of a lap has effectively been banned. Teams can still shut down the MGU-K if something goes wrong, but they are no longer allowed to use the feature strategically just to gain extra performance. The decision aims to keep competition fair and avoid situations where cars lose power unexpectedly on track.
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