Mercedes and Red Bull targeted by new FIA technical directive – roundup
The FIA is F1's governing body
Thursday’s fast-paced F1 news includes Mercedes and Red Bull being targeted by a new FIA technical directive after a qualifying deployment trick came to light.
Let’s charge through the day’s main headlines at full throttle…
FIA issues new technical directive over Mercedes, Red Bull qualifying trick
The FIA has issued a new technical directive to shut down a loophole being exploited by Mercedes and Red Bull in qualifying.
Mercedes and Red Bull had found a way to circumvent a mandatory power reduction on the approach to the timing line on qualifying laps, resulting in MGU-K power being rendered inaccessible for 60 seconds.
The FIA has reminded teams that the trick should only be used in emergency situations to prevent component damage, as originally intended, and not for performance purposes.
Read more: FIA bans fresh Mercedes, Red Bull engine trick with new technical directive
The state of play at Red Bull
Red Bull has had a troubled start to the F1 2026 season, scoring just 16 points across the first three races.
Max Verstappen’s race engineer GianPiero Lambiase became the latest big name to announce his exit from the team last week, with multiple sources in and around the team indicating that further departures cannot be ruled out.
PlanetF1.com’s Thomas Maher assesses the state of play at Milton Keynes.
Read more: Red Bull’s painful reset leaves Laurent Mekies facing a daunting rebuild
Ferrari top of the tree in F1’s billion-dollar boom
PlanetF1.com has found that Ferrari remains the most valuable team in F1 with a valuation of $7.1billion, up from $2bn in 2020.
Formula 1’s popularity has risen dramatically over recent years with every team enjoying significant growth in the Liberty Media era.
PlanetF1.com’s Mat Coch puts a number on each of the sport’s 11 teams.
Read more: F1 team valuations surge as Ferrari tops billion-dollar boom
John Elkann responds to Ferrari’s much-improved start to F1 2026 season
John Elkann, the Ferrari chairman, says the team is approaching the F1 2026 season with “unity and determination” after falling short of its ambitions in 2025.
It comes after he was criticised for calling for drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc to “talk less” in the closing weeks of last season.
Ferrari has enjoyed a promising start to the season, claiming podiums at each of the opening three races.
Read more: John Elkann responds to Ferrari F1 2026 resurgence after pointed 2025 criticism
Martin Brundle’s Sky F1 status update
Sky F1 commentator Martin Brundle has reassured fans over his future, insisting that he will continue to attend 16 races per season.
It comes after Jenson Button distanced himself from suggestions that he is “the natural successor” to Brundle.
Button won plaudits after deputising for Brundle in Japan last month, with a former BBC F1 presenter backing the 2009 world champion to eventually take the role on a full-time basis.
Read more: ‘Don’t be concerned’ – Martin Brundle issues Sky F1 status update
