Mercedes' customer teams will debut a better engine in Australia

Si Mercedes Benz Having supplied its power unit to three other teams, the Silver Arrows were the only cars equipped with the very latest specification during testing in Bahrain. The Germans were using the third version of their engine, while the customer teams had version 1. However, in accordance with the regulations, Mercedes must supply its customers, McLaren, Williams et Alpine, strictly identical equipment for the first Grand Prix in Australia.

McLaren, which did not yet have the latest specification during the pre-season, nevertheless said it was very satisfied with it. I must say that the powertrain we used during these tests proved extremely reliable and allowed us to carry out all the tests we wanted to do, but also to learn more about the interaction between the powertrain, the chassis, and the driver. "emphasizes its director, Andrea Stella.

A battle on equal terms

The Mercedes engine, like those of its competitors, must be finalized through a homologation process by March 1st at the latest. Each powertrain manufacturer must submit a single homologation dossier applicable to all competitors it intends to equip. specifies the regulation. Only the specifications relating to fuel, engine oil and powertrain wiring may differ from one competitor to another. »

The regulation also stipulates that all power units must " operate with identical software for controlling the propulsion unit " and " can be used in exactly the same way "in order to allow customers access to the highest-performing modes. As for fuel, it can be the same as that used by the factory team, unless the customer prefers another supplier."

Thus, McLaren, Alpine and Williams will have an upgraded power unit for the start of the 2026 season. F1 scheduled for Melbourne (Australia) on March 8. While performance gaps are expected to be minimal, every thousandth of a second can influence the result in the race or qualifying.

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