The International Automobile Federation (FIA) decided to put an end to a strategy used by Mercedes and Red Bull in qualifying that allowed them gain a power advantage in the final meters of the fastest lap. As revealed by The Race, both teams had found a way to avoid the progressive reduction of electrical energy required by the regulations through the use of the hybrid system, specifically the MGU-K.
The regulations require a reduction in power delivery in the final stages, but the teams were able to sustain it until they crossed the finish line, obtaining an estimated gain of between 50 and 100 kilowatts.The mechanism consisted of disabling the MGU-K using a software mode designed for technical emergencies. Although this option was allowed in cases of mechanical risk, its systematic use for competitive purposes set off alarms. As an initial response, the FIA established that, when deactivating the system, it would be locked for 60 seconds, which in theory negated any benefit
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However, both Mercedes and Red Bull detected that they could apply the maneuver just before the finish line, thus avoiding the impact of the blockade on the next lap. In this way, they achieved the improvement without suffering consequences on immediate performance
