FIA ADUO ruling hands Mercedes and Ferrari development boosts

The FIA has published the first results of its new ADUO system, confirming Red Bull has the best power unit on the grid and handing its rivals extra development opportunities to catch up.

Why it matters:

The ADUO system is designed to keep the field competitive under the new engine regulations, which feature an even split between combustion engine and battery. With Red Bull Powertrains ahead of the curve in its debut year, Mercedes, Ferrari, Audi and Honda all gain additional upgrades, cost cap allowances and bench testing hours to chase down the benchmark.

The details:

• Red Bull’s engine has been declared the most efficient, despite the team being a brand-new manufacturer.
• Mercedes, deemed more than two per cent adrift, receives one extra upgrade for 2026 and one for 2027, plus $3 million in cost cap allowance and 70 hours of bench testing.
• Ferrari, Audi and Honda, all more than four per cent down, are allowed the maximum two upgrades per season for both 2026 and 2027.
• A sliding scale also applies: 4–6 per cent behind earns $4.65m and 100 hours; 6–8 per cent gets $6.35m and 150 hours; 8–10 per cent receives $8m and 190 hours.
• The FIA has not detailed exactly where Ferrari, Audi and Honda sit on that scale, nor the metrics used to judge performance.

What's next:

The final ADUO review period of the year covers rounds 12–18, from the Netherlands to Mexico City. Teams will now factor these extra allowances into their development programmes as the new regulation cycle takes shape, with upgrades likely to appear from early 2026.