Ferrari highlights calendar clash as key hurdle for FIA's engine upgrade system

The FIA's new system to help slower engine manufacturers catch up is facing a delay, with Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur pointing to a clash between the written rules and the revised race calendar as the major unresolved issue. The 'Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities' (ADUO) program, designed as a performance lifeline, cannot be enacted until the FIA clarifies whether its activation point refers to the original or current schedule.

Why it matters:

The ADUO system is a critical regulatory tool intended to maintain competition by allowing engine manufacturers who are behind to make performance upgrades outside the normal homologation freeze. Any delay or ambiguity in its implementation directly impacts the development race and could affect the competitive balance between power unit suppliers for the 2026 season and beyond.

The details:

• The ADUO system was created to permit performance-related engine upgrades for manufacturers lagging behind the benchmark power unit.
• The level of help is tiered: manufacturers within 2% of the benchmark get one upgrade opportunity this season and another in 2027, while those 4% or more behind get two opportunities in each season.
• Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, whose Mercedes HPP unit is the current benchmark, has expressed cautious support but worries the system could be used for one manufacturer to leapfrog others.
• The core issue is a procedural delay. The technical regulations state ADUO comes into force "after round six" of the season.
  • This was originally after the Miami Grand Prix, but with the cancelled Bahrain and Saudi Arabian rounds, the sixth race is now the Monaco GP in June.
• Vasseur stated the uncertainty lies solely in whether "round six" refers to the initial or revised calendar, noting all other parameters—like dyno hours and performance metrics—are clear.

What's next:

The ball is now in the FIA's court to provide clarity on the calendar interpretation and deliver the initial performance assessments. Teams are awaiting these official numbers to understand their position relative to the benchmark and plan their upgrade strategies accordingly. Vasseur emphasized the need to trust the FIA's process, suggesting that while measuring precise percentages is complex, overall straight-line speed data can give a preliminary indication of the competitive order.