Red Bull Triggers FIA Review As ADUO Results Name Them F1 Engine Benchmark

During the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, all Formula 1 teams and power unit manufacturers were informed of the outcome of the first ADUO period.
ADUO stands for Additional Upgrade and Development Opportunities, Formula 1’s newly introduced catch-up mechanism designed to close performance gaps between engine suppliers.
Red Bull Ford Powertrains emerged as the benchmark from the assessment, setting the standard against which all other manufacturers are measured.
According to the results, Mercedes’ internal combustion engine trails the benchmark by between 2-4%, entitling the German manufacturer to one additional upgrade this year and one more in 2027.
Ferrari, Audi and Honda all fall more than 4% behind on ICE power, granting each of them two upgrades during the current season and two further upgrades in 2027.
Despite these results being widely known throughout the paddock, the FIA has not yet made a formal public announcement, missing its own stated deadline of two weeks after the Canadian Grand Prix.
The delay is due to one manufacturer, understood to be Red Bull, requesting an additional review of the results before they are officially released.
The FIA began the verification process on Monday, with checks expected to take between one week and ten days to complete, focusing on sensor accuracy and data integrity.
While Red Bull cannot formally lodge a protest against the ADUO outcome, the review is designed to ensure every figure is factually correct before publication.
However, the deeper concern surrounding ADUO extends well beyond the review process and relates to a fundamental flaw in how the system is structured.
Only the internal combustion engine is measured to determine eligibility, yet manufacturers who qualify for ADUO are also permitted to upgrade electrical components including the battery and MGU-K.
The consequence is striking, as the paddock consensus holds that Mercedes still possesses the strongest overall power unit despite Red Bull leading on ICE measurements alone.
This means Mercedes could receive additional development opportunities under a system intended to help manufacturers who are genuinely falling behind.
FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis acknowledged the measurement approach was chosen by the manufacturers themselves following extensive discussions in 2025.
“In the spring of 2025 we had quite long discussions with them,” he said. “We offered whether we wanted to consider certain things like the turbo pressures, or the turbo diameters, or the plenum operating temperature and such.”
“And the universal position by the PU manufacturers back then was that we should keep it simple,” Tombazis continued, adding that he would personally be open to revisiting the parameters.
“I would personally be quite open to the idea of complicating the parameters a bit, but that discussion was had more than a year ago and it was quite clear what it concluded,” he said.
A further strategic concern exists within the ADUO framework, as manufacturers unable to introduce all permitted upgrades before the next measurement point could effectively reset the standings in Red Bull’s favour.
If Mercedes and Ferrari strategically delay introducing upgrades, Red Bull would logically remain benchmark at the next assessment and again be denied additional development opportunities.
For now, the FIA is focused on completing its verification process at Red Bull’s request before any official results are published.
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