![\"Andrea](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1770944294_759_andrea-kimi-antonelli-mercedes.jpg\")
<\/p>\nLewis Hamilton has urged the FIA to “take care” of the compression ratio debate, which is taking place in the paddock. This comes as the seven-time Formula 1 world champion tests in Bahrain ahead of the 2026 season.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Wearing Ferrari colours for the second season after a long and successful stint driving Mercedes machinery, the driver has confronted the idea that the Brackley outfit is benefiting from a trick involving its power units’ compression ratio when asked by\u00a0Sky Sports F1.<\/p>\n
Despite what looks like dominant engineering from Mercedes, he’s keen to not read too much into lap times.<\/p>\n
\u201cBasically, it\u2019s like Monza downforce everywhere. So you\u2019re sliding around on the top of the tyres, so it doesn\u2019t feel particularly great,” he said in regards to the wind at the track after the first day of testing.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn some corners it feels good. And because of the wind, some corners feel good because you\u2019ve got a headwind \u2014 but most of the others you\u2019ve got either tailwind or crosswind, and it\u2019s a moving goalpost.<\/p>\n
“I think everyone’s in the same boat.”<\/p>\n
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc topped the timesheets after a long second day of testing, and McLaren driver and reigning champion Lando Norris finished beneath him by half a second.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cImpossible to know at the moment,” Hamilton said when asked about the pecking order of the grid. “I hope we\u2019re in the mix. I think we all look quite close \u2014 apart from Mercedes.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes<\/p>\n
Photo by: Giuseppe Cacace – AFP – Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cBut we don\u2019t know what fuel loads people are on. There are whispers of certain fuel loads that Mercedes are on. There are whispers of extra power they have that the rest of us don\u2019t \u2014 the compression ratio sort of thing.”<\/p>\n
The Briton seemed keen for that to be ironed out by the championship’s governing body: “So hopefully that gets sorted. And the FIA take care of that and make sure we\u2019re all starting on an even playing field.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hamilton joins several teams in a push for the FIA to take action over what many believe goes against the regulations. And while Mercedes and its team principal Toto Wolff have strongly pushed back at these allegations, both the team and the FIA are facing intense pressure.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve spent a lot of time discussing how we solve those issues, and our intention is of course to solve them for the start of the season,”\u00a0FIA single seater director Nikolas Tombazis said in an interview<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t want to have controversies, we want people to be competing on the track \u2013 not in the courtroom or in the stewards room. And that\u2019s what we try to do.\u201d<\/p>\n Whether intervention comes before the Australian Grand Prix, Hamilton – and others – are keen to see action.\u00a0<\/p>\n We want your opinion!<\/p>\n What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?<\/p>\n