Mercedes drivers lifted off the throttle just before the finish line during qualifying at the British Grand Prix weekend to gain an advantage through a legal interpretation of power unit rules.
Both Mercedes drivers adopted the unusual tactic of lifting off the accelerator a few metres before crossing the timing line. This allowed the MGU-K to shut off power instantaneously rather than following the standard reduction ramp.
Kimi Antonelli described the approach after qualifying. "It wasn't easy," he said. "In Q3 I also had to lift off, and with these power units it's always a bit complicated because sometimes you have to drive in a way that doesn't feel completely natural."
The method exploits regulations that permit faster power reduction when the driver is fully off the throttle. Mercedes programmed the electronic control unit to maintain maximum MGU-K output until the lift, conserving energy for the final straight at Silverstone.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella noted surprise at the tactic during sprint qualifying. "When we first noticed it yesterday in sprint qualifying, as Antonelli was doing it, it caught us a little by surprise because it's not something we'd discussed," he said.
