Max Verstappen’s challenging start to the 2026 Formula 1 season has taken another hit following the FIA’s announcement to address a qualifying tactic used by his Red Bull team. After the Japanese Grand Prix, it came to light that both Red Bull and Mercedes were exploiting a loophole regarding the release of electrical power during qualifying.
Under current regulations, cars are required to progressively reduce the deployment of electrical power when driving down the straight. However, Red Bull and Mercedes managed to deploy their energy recovery systems fully along the straight, contravening the gradual power drop-off rule. The teams then claimed their MGU-K units had malfunctioned, allowing them to shut down the system. Although a 60-second lockout was stipulated for restarting the MGU-K, this was less of an issue during qualifying as drivers could return to the pits at reduced speed after setting their lap times.
Instances of this tactic were observed during the Suzuka qualifying, where both Verstappen and championship rival Kimi Antonelli were seen returning to the pits slowly post-lap. Additionally, Alex Albon’s Williams car stopped during practice after trying the same method. The FIA’s attention was drawn to this tactic after concerns were raised by Ferrari regarding its safety implications.
This loophole first caught the FIA’s notice at the season opener in Melbourne, but it wasn’t employed in China due to the shorter straight. The FIA has since released a directive clarifying that such tactics should only be employed in genuine emergencies. This marks the second clever strategy curtailed by the FIA this season, including an exploit that allowed Red Bull and Mercedes to increase engine power beyond the regulated compression ratio.
Historically, both teams had manipulated their engines to achieve a compression ratio of 18:1, exceeding the 16:1 limit, thus boosting their power output significantly. To counter this, the FIA has amended the regulations to ensure that measurements are taken when the engine hits approximately 130°C, a change that will come into effect from the Monaco Grand Prix in June.
Currently, Verstappen finds himself ninth in the championship standings with a mere 12 points, significantly trailing Antonelli, who leads by 60 points. The Dutch driver’s best performance so far has been a sixth-place finish in Australia. The next race on the Formula 1 calendar is the Miami Grand Prix, scheduled for May 4.