© Jiri Krenek for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.
Lewis Hamilton chimes in on Mercedes’ engine controversy and says “there are whispers of extra power they have that the rest of us don’t”.
The biggest controversy that emerged at the beginning of 2026, has centred around the legality of Mercedes’ new power unit.
More specifically, rival F1 teams have accused Mercedes of having found a way of getting around ‘compression ratio limits’, as described in the new regulations.
These teams are calling for the regulations to be amended, which could lead to Mercedes’ power unit being deemed illegal.
When asked what he believes the current pecking order of the grid is, after the first three days of 2026 pre-season testing, Lewis Hamilton touched on the issue of Mercedes’ power unit.
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“Impossible to know at the moment,” the Briton said.
“I hope we’re in the mix. I think we all look quite close — apart from Mercedes. But we don’t know what fuel loads people are on.
“There are whispers of certain fuel loads that Mercedes are on. There are whispers of extra power they have that the rest of us don’t — the compression ratio sort of thing.”
“So hopefully that gets sorted, and the FIA take care of that and make sure we’re all starting on an even playing field,” Hamilton concluded.
