F1s Other Teams have Fallen into Mercedes Trap

Formula 1 has officially declared that Red Bull Powertrains has the strongest engine on the grid. Sounds insane, right? After all, Mercedes have spent most of 2026 dominating races and looking like the benchmark team. So how can the FIA conclude that Red Bull has the best engine while Mercedes are winning almost everything? And how have Mercedes played everything perfectly!? #f1 #formula1 ------------------------------------------------------------------ MORE VIDEOS! 👇 ➡️Naming Every F1 Champion    • Only 3 People in F1 History Have Done This   ➡️F1s Most Loved & Most Hated Drivers    • Every F1 Driver Ranked From Most Loved to ...   ➡️2026 F1 Teams Ranked    • Ranking Every F1 Team from Worst to Best a...   ➡️ 2026 Engines Ranked    • Which F1 Team Is Really Ahead in the 2026 ...   ➡️ Best F1 Driver EVER?    • 1,126,863 Votes Decided… Who is the Best F...   ------------------------------------------------------------------ ➡️ SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: 🏆Become a Member → https://www.youtube.com/@NotApplicabl... 🎙Crash Happy Pod →    / @crashhappypodcast   🎮 Twitch →   / notapplicablejb   ------------------------------------------------------------------ ⏰Timestamps 00:00 Intro 00:28 F1 Upgrade System 02:26 The FIAs Testing 04:07 F1 Team Fault 09:01 Mercedes Gaming The System 11:29 Mercedes Real Advantage ------------------------------------------------------------------ Business enquiries: 📧 Email | [email protected] ------------------------------------------------------------------ 📊 Multiviewer | https://multiviewer.app/ ------------------------------------------------------------------ In this video, we break down the controversial new FIA engine ranking system that could have huge consequences for the future of Formula 1. Under the new Anti-Divergence Upgrade Opportunity (ADUO) rules, manufacturers can only upgrade their power units if they are deemed to be sufficiently behind the benchmark. That means being classified as the "best engine" may actually be the worst possible outcome. We'll explain exactly how the FIA measures engine performance, why the tests only focus on the internal combustion engine, and why almost half of the power unit's performance isn't even being considered. More importantly, we'll explore why the FIA isn't actually to blame for this situation—and how the teams themselves voted for the very system they are now complaining about. We also examine how Mercedes may have played this perfectly. Despite not having the strongest combustion engine, their mastery of battery deployment, energy recovery, software integration, and electrical performance could have given them the best overall power unit in Formula 1. With additional upgrade opportunities now available to Mercedes, could the rest of the field be facing an even bigger challenge than they first realised? And finally, we discuss why Ferrari, Red Bull, Audi and Honda could find themselves trapped by a system they helped create, while Mercedes potentially gains access to more resources, more testing time and even greater performance in the years ahead. Could this engine rule become one of the most controversial regulations of the new era? And have the teams accidentally handed Mercedes an even bigger advantage? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Do you agree with the FIA's decision? Is Red Bull really the benchmark engine manufacturer, or does Mercedes clearly have the best power unit in Formula 1? 🔔 Subscribe for more in-depth F1 analysis, technical breakdowns, driver market news and everything happening across the Formula 1 paddock. Copyright Disclaimer: Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. There are certain scenes from the Formula 1 calendar where race footage is used. All those rights are property of FOM. Other photos and news elements are used solely for the purpose of assisting the original content illuminate a more in depth story.