Photo: Red Bull Content Pool

F1 LIVE | Verstappen shrugs off compression ratio debate as Piastri nods to Alpine exit

08:59, 19 Jan

byTobia Elia

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Verstappen breaks silence over alleged engine compression ratio trick

Speculation has emerged that Red Bull and Mercedes could gain a power unit edge by exploiting a regulatory grey area linked to the engine compression ratio, which would reportedly allow manufacturers to reduce the ratio from 18:1 to 16:1, unlocking a potential performance benefit.

This would be made possible by the technical regulations explicitly stating that compression ratio checks are conducted cold, at ambient temperature — a detail that has allegedly sparked frustration among rival teams.

When asked to weigh in on the matter and whether it could genuinely translate into a technical advantage, the Dutchman chose not to engage with the controversy, instead keeping his comments firmly centred on the driver’s perspective.

Photo: Red Bull Content Pool

Piastri hints at multiple Alpine saga nods in latest commercial

The Australian featured as the lead figure in Google’s latest advertising campaign promoting its newest smartphone, with the video subtly weaving in references to key moments from Piastri’s career, including allusions to his high-profile contractual saga with Alpine.

One of the nods comes directly from Piastri himself, through a line delivered in the video in which he stated that “when I see a chance to get ahead, I will change things up. I mean, why would you want anything less than the best? It’s why I switched to Google Pixel.”

A second — and far more symbolic — reference appears later in the advert, when a painting of an Alpine landscape is deliberately moved aside to make space for another depicting a papaya split in two, a clear visual metaphor for Piastri’s move from Alpine to McLaren three years ago.

Oscar Piastri must be aggressive at the start

Oscar Piastri - Photo: RacePictures

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