FIA Reviewing ADUO Engine Rankings as Red Bull Disputes Top Spot

The FIA is reassessing its power unit pecking order under the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) programme after Red Bull disputed being rated as the top 2026 engine manufacturer. A confidential report distributed to teams grants Mercedes, Ferrari, Audi and Honda in-season ICE upgrades based on calculated deficits to Red Bull, who as the benchmark receive no extra development tokens despite Mercedes winning six of the opening seven races.

Why it matters:

The ADUO framework is meant to prevent a repeat of Mercedes' runaway 2014 hybrid advantage by allowing weaker manufacturers to recover without resorting to Balance of Performance. Red Bull's decision to publicly challenge the methodology exposes a sharp divide over how the FIA isolates internal combustion output, raising questions about fairness when the championship form book tells a different story.

The details:

• Upgrade allowances: Mercedes was granted one engine upgrade for 2026 and another for 2027 after being judged more than two per cent adrift. Ferrari, Audi and Honda received two upgrades for each season, having been deemed over four per cent behind.
• Red Bull's objection: Team principal Laurent Mekies said there is "not one single data sample" showing an ICE advantage over Mercedes, stressing that the FIA's single-car torque sensor has limitations and that the matter deserves a "common sense" review.
• Paddock split: Toto Wolff defended the FIA's data as objective and politically neutral, calling the mechanism vital for newcomers. Conversely, Martin Brundle and Jacques Villeneuve criticised the system as alien to F1's meritocratic culture, arguing that excellence should not be artificially restrained.

What's next:

The governing body is holding further talks with all manufacturers ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix before formally confirming the rankings. Two additional ADUO reviews will follow July's Hungarian Grand Prix and November's Mexico City round, setting final upgrade entitlements for the 2027 season.