The FIA has announced the results of the latest assessment of the Additional Updates and Opportunities (ADUO) system for Formula 1 engines, confirming that Red Bull-Ford retains its position as the best power unit. This assessment covers the races from the Australian Grand Prix to the Hungarian Grand Prix.
According to the federation’s report, the internal combustion engine of Red Bull-Ford is the most powerful on the grid, with a power advantage of between 2% and 4% over Mercedes engines, while Audi, Ferrari, and Honda are more than 4% behind. It is important to highlight that Honda’s new power unit, introduced at the Dutch Grand Prix, was not considered in this assessment.
After the first quarter of the season, Mercedes received an additional homologation for the years 2026 and 2027, while Audi, Ferrari, and Honda obtained two homologations for this year and the next. However, the FIA has not announced any new homologation on this occasion.
The FIA’s single-seater director, Nikolas Tombazis, stated that the review has been thorough, with a high level of confidence in the results obtained. However, he emphasized that this is the first year of the ADUO system and that aspects will continue to be adapted based on the needs of power unit manufacturers.
The ADUO system has been subject to criticism, as it only considers the internal combustion engine, a factor that does not capture all the performance differences of the current hybrid Formula 1 units. Moreover, although Red Bull is viewed as the best in the ADUO rankings, there has been a general perception that Mercedes has the most powerful engine, a point that even Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has admitted, causing some controversy.
With Red Bull establishing itself as a leader, the debate around the ADUO system is likely to be intense, with the upcoming race in Italy expected to generate more discussion.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
