Mercedes’ dominant start to the new Formula 1 season could be weakened by the new rules on power units which come into force soon, says Toto Wolff.
The W17s have won all three races so far this year, including both parts of the sprint event in Shanghai. George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli also locked out the front row of the grid for both grands prix.
The strength of Mercedes’ new power unit is believed to be a key aspect of their performance advantage. However the FIA will introduce new rules on how power units are tested from the beginning of June.
Following claims Mercedes’ engine is able to exceed the maximum cylinder compression ratio of 16:1 at higher temperatures, the FIA will introduce a new test ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix. The new test will be conducted at operating temperatures of around 130C.
Wolff said Mercedes will have to make changes to their power unit which could come with a performance cost.
“By June, all of the compression ratio tests need to be done in hot conditions,” he told Channel 4. “I think that’s always a danger that you’re losing a little bit of an advantage, but this is how Formula 1 goes.”
Altering the power unit could also introduce reliability concerns, he added. “It could have a performance effect and also it means redesigning some components that you were hoping not to redesign.”
The true extent of Mercedes’ performance advantage over the competition may only have been glimpsed so far. They were 0.785 seconds faster than the next-quickest car in Melbourne but only 0.351s ahead in Shanghai, where Russell was compromised by problems with his power unit in Q3.
Mercedes’ closest rivals were 15 and 25 seconds behind respectively at the first two grands prix, but both were interrupted by either Safety Car or Virtual Safety Car periods.
The cancellation of two grands prix means Mercedes will have less time to enjoy whatever benefits they have before the new tests are introduced. When the FIA announced the new June check, they were due to come into force after round seven, which has since become round five.
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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 – when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring journalist, Keith began running the site full-time in 2010, achieving a long-held ambition to dedicate his full attention to his passion for motor racing. View all posts by Keith Collantine