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Mercedes is preparing an Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) power-unit upgrade that could further damage Ferrari’s fading 2026 Formula 1 title hopes.
The FIA’s analysis of manufacturers’ internal-combustion engine performance concluded that Red Bull is more than 2% ahead of the other manufacturers in the area used to judge ADUO eligibility. Mercedes therefore has one permitted power-unit upgrade this season and another in 2027. Ferrari, Audi and Honda can introduce two in each of those years, while Red Bull cannot yet make improvements under the mechanism.
Mercedes had previously said it would use the extra test-bench hours and development allowance without introducing hardware changes. That position has now shifted, with work under way at its Brixworth facility to prepare an upgrade before the end of the campaign. No introduction date has been fixed, although the specification is expected during the triple header featuring Azerbaijan, Malaysia and Singapore.
The timing could align with George Russell’s anticipated grid drop for fresh power-unit components, as he is not expected to reach the season’s end with his current pool.
Mercedes has not confirmed the target area, but Kimi Antonelli’s component allocation at Monza may point towards the answer. Although he was due to start from the back after an engine-change penalty, Mercedes replaced only his internal-combustion engine, battery and control electronics. It did not fit a new turbo, MGU-K, exhaust or ancillaries, despite those changes carrying no additional consequence.
That decision suggests Mercedes may be holding those parts for a later introduction, leaving scope to upgrade one or more of them. The turbo is considered the clearest opportunity for a gain. Because Antonelli did not receive a fresh turbo at Monza, the first new unit would come without a penalty, potentially allowing both Mercedes drivers to use the ADUO upgrade at the same time.
Any new specification must also be made available to customer teams. Alpine and Williams would therefore receive the progress alongside Mercedes, although each team could stagger its drivers’ introductions.
The engine step is expected to arrive around a major Mercedes car upgrade planned for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia at the start of next month. The team last introduced a major package in Montreal in late May and has spaced out further developments after conservative spending this season.
Ferrari used its second permitted upgrade at Monza, with changes understood to centre on a larger turbo and related concept modifications. Yet the straight-line deficit remained stark. Fred Vasseur said Ferrari was almost 10km/h slower everywhere on the straights, while Lewis Hamilton described Mercedes’ acceleration as “mind blowing.”
Ferrari’s latest ADUO step was also covered in Bearman’s assessment of Ferrari’s ADUO 2 upgrade. Vasseur argued that catching Mercedes would be a long-term project, with a new Ferrari engine planned for next year and further ADUO opportunities in 2027.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.