Ferrari believes its 2026 F1 engine could be granted an upgrade boost

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur believes the team could be handed a crucial opportunity to upgrade its power unit later this season under Formula 1’s Additional Design and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) mechanism.

ADUO: a potential performance equaliser

Under the 2026 regulations, power unit designs are largely homologated, effectively freezing core specifications. However, F1 has introduced the ADUO framework to prevent long-term performance divergence between manufacturers.

Crucially, the FIA’s assessment is not based on lap time comparisons. Instead, it relies on an independent ICE Performance Index, designed to evaluate the engine in isolation. The specific metrics remain confidential, but the measurements are expected to focus on power and energy characteristics independent of chassis influence.

That distinction matters.

On the surface, Ferrari appears close to Mercedes. At the Chinese Grand Prix, the gap between Kimi Antonelli’s pole position time of 1m32.064s and Lewis Hamilton’s best Ferrari effort of 1m32.415s was just 0.381%. Yet that narrow margin does not necessarily reflect the underlying power unit picture.

Despite the competitiveness shown on track, Vasseur believes Ferrari’s engine is lacking enough to potentially fall within the ADUO window.

“I'm not convinced that the new compression ratio rule will be a game changer, a huge game changer,” Vasseur said. “It's more that you will have the ADUO at one stage, and that the addition of the ADUO will be an opportunity for us to close the gap.”

Ferrari vs Mercedes: contrasting strengths

Performance analysis from the opening two grands prix has highlighted distinct characteristics between the two leading packages.

Ferrari has shown strength at the start and appears to hold an edge through corners. Mercedes, however, has demonstrated a clear advantage in power and top speed.

That straight-line deficit is central to Ferrari’s development focus.

If the team can unlock additional power and reduce losses on the straights, it would allow it to capitalise more effectively on its strengths in traction and cornering.

“I would prefer to be a bit faster,” Vasseur admitted after the Chinese Grand Prix. “We know that we have a deficit of performance mainly in the straightline that we have to work on.”

Still, the Ferrari boss is wary of placing too much emphasis on a single area of development.

“I don't want to do the split [between chassis and power unit],” he said. *“I want to push everywhere but we know that we have to improve on the ICE.

“But this will be for after the ADUO - on energy, on chassis, on aero. We are pushing like hell on every single area to close the gap.”

Timing uncertainty around the first window

The first ADUO window is scheduled to open after six races. Originally, that milestone would have been reached at the Miami Grand Prix. However, the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix has shifted the timeline, meaning the six-race mark will now fall at the Monaco Grand Prix in June.

The FIA is understood to be considering adjustments to maintain the original intent of the schedule, though it remains unclear whether this will involve specifying a fixed date or revising the race-count trigger.

For manufacturers chasing performance — including Aston Martin’s Honda partner — earlier access would be preferable.

“Of course, it's clear the earlier we can make improvements, the better it is,” said Aston Martin chief trackside officer Mike Krack after the Chinese Grand Prix.

For Ferrari, the ADUO mechanism may represent more than a regulatory footnote. If the FIA’s performance index confirms a sufficient shortfall, it could provide the opening Vasseur is banking on — and a vital lever in the fight to bring Mercedes back within reach.