The FIA has confirmed a ban on a qualifying trick that Mercedes and Red Bull powered cars used in 2026. The MGU-K qualifying ban closes a dangerous loophole. Both manufacturers gained an estimated 50 to 100 kilowatts of extra power at the end of flying laps. The FIA has now issued a technical directive to all teams, with enforcement starting from the Miami Grand Prix.
Under the 2026 regulations, teams must reduce MGU-K deployment by 50 kilowatts per second as cars approach the timing line. However, Mercedes and Red Bull bypassed this rule by triggering the emergency MGU-K shutdown at the end of qualifying runs. This instantly dropped deployment from 350 kilowatts to zero. It extended maximum power delivery beyond what rivals could legally sustain.
Crucially, activating the emergency shutdown locks the MGU-K for a full 60 seconds. On a normal racing lap, that penalty would destroy performance. But on the cooldown lap after a flying run, no further deployment is needed, so the lockout costs nothing. Consequently, both teams triggered the system freely, converting a safety mechanism into a deliberate performance tool.
The loophole came to light through strange incidents in Japan. Antonelli, Verstappen and Albon were all spotted crawling or stopping on track after slowing on cooldown laps. Furthermore, Antonelli had the same problem in Australian practice but it went undetected at the time. Ferrari formally raised the issue with the FIA, citing competitive and safety concerns.
The FIA responded with a technical directive sent to all ten teams. Teams may still use MGU-K shutdowns for genuine technical emergencies only. Moreover, the governing body confirmed it will monitor data logs, leaving no team any room to claim accidental activation.
The MGU-K qualifying ban is unlikely to erase Mercedes’ lead in 2026. Kimi Antonelli tops the drivers’ standings, with the team’s advantage built on combustion efficiency and superior energy management. Meanwhile, the banned trick added only hundredths of a second per lap. However, on circuits with long final sectors, those hundredths affect grid positions and can reshape race strategies entirely.
Additionally, the MGU-K qualifying ban lands as F1 prepares for technical meetings before Miami to address broader regulation concerns. Red Bull confirmed the gain was marginal. Nevertheless, rival teams welcomed the FIA’s decisive response. In Formula 1, every gap in the rulebook gets pushed until the governing body acts.
