Ferrari could gain a significant advantage at the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix thanks to its smaller turbocharger, with George Russell predicting that turbo lag will become a major challenge for Formula 1’s new-generation power units. Honda has also warned that the extreme altitude of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez could create difficulties for every engine manufacturer, particularly now that the MGU-H has been removed under the 2026 regulations.
Situated 2,240 metres above sea level, the Mexican circuit has always presented an unusual challenge for Formula 1 power units. However, this year’s race introduces an additional unknown: for the first time, the latest engines must operate in Mexico City’s thin air without the assistance of the MGU-H, the motor-generator connected to the turbocharger that was eliminated under the new regulations.
The change could have important consequences not only for engine performance but also for the competitive order between manufacturers. George Russell believes Ferrari’s decision to use a smaller-diameter turbocharger than most of its rivals could prove particularly advantageous in these conditions.
George Russell predicts Ferrari turbo advantage at Mexico GP
The Mercedes driver expects turbocharger response to play an important role throughout the Mexican Grand Prix weekend. With the absence of the MGU-H making it more difficult to maintain turbocharger speed when exhaust energy decreases, the different design philosophies adopted by the manufacturers could become especially significant.
“I think it’s going to be very interesting,” George Russell explained. “I think turbo lag is going to be a big factor for a lot of teams this weekend. It’s no secret that Ferrari has a smaller turbo than most of the other manufacturers, so they’ll probably have a significant advantage in that respect.”
“We don’t yet know how complicated it will be, but I can foresee that it won’t be straightforward at all.”
The potential benefit identified by George Russell centres on Ferrari’s choice of a more compact turbocharger. Although the advantages have yet to be established under race conditions, the characteristics of the Italian manufacturer’s design could become particularly relevant at a circuit where air density is significantly reduced.
Why Ferrari’s smaller turbocharger could be effective at high altitude
Ferrari’s turbocharger configuration could be especially well suited to the environmental conditions in Mexico City. A smaller turbocharger generally has lower rotational inertia, allowing it to reach the required operating speed more quickly when the driver accelerates.
That characteristic has become more important following the removal of the MGU-H. Until last season, the electrical motor-generator could help maintain turbocharger rotation even when the energy available from the exhaust gases decreased, reducing the delay between the driver’s throttle input and the delivery of boost pressure.
However, there is a compromise between responsiveness and maximum performance. A larger turbocharger can offer greater potential in terms of airflow and peak output, but it generally requires more energy to accelerate rapidly to its operating speed.
Mexico City’s altitude adds another complication to this balance. With less dense air entering the system, the turbocharger must work harder to supply the engine with the amount of air it requires, potentially favouring some design choices while exposing the limitations of others.
The result could be an unusually revealing comparison between the different power unit philosophies adopted for 2026. While Ferrari’s smaller turbo may offer an advantage in response, its ability to maintain the required boost pressure under the most demanding conditions will also be an important consideration.
Honda warns all F1 manufacturers face problems without MGU-H
Honda chief engineer Shintaro Orihara has confirmed that the absence of the MGU-H creates a significant additional challenge at the Mexico City Grand Prix. The Japanese manufacturer expects the problem to affect the entire grid rather than being limited to its own power unit.
“Last year we had the support of the MGU-H, whereas this year we can no longer rely on that system. It’s a significant challenge,” Shintaro Orihara explained. “In the past, we also used the MGU-H when the engine was idling to obtain sufficient boost pressure. Now we no longer have that support, even under those conditions.”
The first concern is turbo lag, the delay in turbocharger response when the driver demands additional power. This could become particularly noticeable when accelerating out of slow corners, where the immediate availability of engine torque is important for performance.
“Turbo lag will be one of the most important aspects at this circuit,” Shintaro Orihara continued. “I don’t think Honda will be the only one facing this difficulty. All the manufacturers will have to deal with the problem.”
The challenge adds another dimension to the power unit issues that have affected different manufacturers during the 2026 season. Red Bull has also faced engine-related difficulties, with Max Verstappen highlighting power unit problems following his Austin podium.
Honda reveals risk of turbo speed limits affecting engine performance
Turbo lag is not the only uncertainty associated with racing at high altitude. To compensate for the reduced air density, a turbocharger must operate at particularly high rotational speeds to generate sufficient airflow for the internal combustion engine.
This introduces another potential limitation because every turbocharger has a maximum permitted operating speed. If that threshold is reached before the desired boost pressure can be achieved, the engine’s operating conditions may need to be adjusted, potentially affecting performance.
“Normally in Mexico, the turbo has to spin at very high speeds to provide sufficient airflow,” Shintaro Orihara explained. “We still need to assess the situation, but in the worst case, we could be forced to introduce some restrictions on the engine’s operating conditions.”
The Honda engineer clarified that there is a maximum rotational speed beyond which the turbocharger cannot operate. Reaching that limit before producing the necessary boost pressure would require changes to how the power unit is managed.
Nevertheless, Honda does not currently anticipate major difficulties based on the simulations and testing completed ahead of the Grand Prix. The manufacturer believes that the impact on engine operation should be limited, although only running on track will provide confirmation.
“We’ve carried out a lot of testing on the dynamometer, and we believe the impact on engine operation will be minimal, if not non-existent. But we need to verify that during free practice,” Shintaro Orihara said.
“It’s something that could also affect the other manufacturers. We’ve carried out dynamometer tests at Sakura to simulate the conditions in Mexico, so we have an idea of what might happen. But this is the first time we’ve faced the altitude with this configuration. It will be interesting to observe how the turbocharger behaves.”
Ferrari’s 2026 turbo design could find a new benefit in Mexico
George Russell’s assessment raises an important question about Ferrari’s competitiveness at the Mexico City Grand Prix. The decision to adopt a smaller turbocharger was also linked to improving engine response during race-start procedures following the removal of the MGU-H.
Subsequent regulatory changes introduced by the FIA reduced part of the potential benefit of that design choice during starts. However, the conditions in Mexico could provide a different opportunity to exploit the same characteristic, particularly when accelerating from slower corners.
The potential advantage is especially interesting given the straight-line speed deficit Ferrari experienced against Mercedes during the United States Grand Prix. While a smaller turbocharger does not necessarily deliver greater maximum power, its response characteristics could become more valuable under Mexico City’s unusual operating conditions.
Ferrari also faces other challenges related to the high-altitude environment, with Fred Vasseur warning about the cooling and grip difficulties expected at the Mexican Grand Prix. The team must therefore balance any potential turbocharger benefit against the broader demands imposed on the SF-26.
For Honda and the other power unit manufacturers, free practice will be essential to determine whether the behaviour observed during simulations can be reproduced at the circuit. The relationship between turbocharger response, maximum rotational speed and boost pressure could become one of the most important technical factors of the weekend.
Ferrari’s design decision may ultimately prove advantageous, but the extent of any benefit remains uncertain. Mexico City’s combination of extreme altitude and the absence of the MGU-H will provide an important test of the different approaches taken by Formula 1’s engine manufacturers under the 2026 regulations.
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