Latest News About Fia Bans Mercedes Red Bull Trick

Here’s the latest on the topic you asked about.

• The FIA has moved to outlaw a qualifying trick used by Mercedes and Red Bull that allowed extended high-power deployment at the end of a lap. This is part of ongoing regulatory clarification in 2026 F1 technical directives.[2][6]
• Reports indicate the action was framed as closing a loophole tied to energy deployment and safety concerns, with teams told the approach could no longer be used in qualifying, and that it should be restricted to legitimate emergencies only.[3][6][2]
• In practice, teams reportedly stopped using the method around the time of the Japan/Suzuka weekend, and the FIA later issued a directive reinforcing the ban and addressing related penalties or enforcement measures.[5][3]
• Reactions across outlets highlight that the improvement, if any, was marginal, and the move is seen as tightening rules rather than a dramatic shift in performance dynamics for the season.[6][3]
• For context, this has been a prominent topic in multiple outlets, including GP Blog and GP Today, with consistent reporting that the FIA acted to close the qualifying loophole while focusing on safety implications.[4][3]

Illustration: A quick snapshot of the situation

• Before: Mercedes and Red Bull used a qualifying trick to maintain higher energy deployment on the final straight.
• After: The FIA bans the technique; teams must adhere to standard ramp-down rules and can only deploy in emergencies.

If you’d like, I can pull a concise timeline with key dates and penalties from the latest articles, or summarize how this might affect upcoming races in your region. I can also provide a short FAQ-style briefing for fans and journalists.

Citations:

• FIA action and ban details[2][6]
• Specific reporting on the rule clarifications and Japan/Suzuka weekend context[3][5]
• Additional coverage on the perceived impact and responses[4][6]