Red Bull emerges as new engine benchmark, while Mercedes set to receive ADUO upgrade token
The ADUO System: Formula 1's New Balancing Mechanism
Formula One's 2026–2030 regulatory cycle does not only introduce a radically redesigned hybrid power unit — it also brings a new competitive-balancing mechanism specifically designed to prevent any single manufacturer from establishing long-term dominance. That system, known as Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO), is embedded in the FIA's Technical Regulations and represents the governing body's structured attempt to maintain parity without constraining engineering freedom.
Rather than artificially restricting the fastest engine, the FIA's approach is to grant underperforming manufacturers more opportunities to develop. To achieve this, the FIA continuously monitors the performance of every Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) supplied to teams throughout the season, calculating what the regulations define as an ICE Performance Index for each power unit manufacturer. The FIA may also request additional technical data from teams and manufacturers to ensure assessments are based on comprehensive evidence rather than isolated performance snapshots.
Each season is divided into three evaluation windows — Rounds 1 to 6, 7 to 12, and 13 to 18 — during which every manufacturer's ICE Performance Index is compared against the highest index recorded in that period. The thresholds are clearly defined: manufacturers whose index is at least 2% but less than 4% below the benchmark are eligible for one additional homologation upgrade in the current season and one more in the following year. Those falling at least 4% behind receive two upgrades in the current season and two in the next. Critically, these upgrades are not cumulative within a single season.
Red Bull Sets the Benchmark — With Consequences for Everyone Else
Against this regulatory backdrop, the competitive picture for 2026 has taken a dramatic and unexpected turn. According to information seen by Sky Sports News, the FIA has assessed the early-season pecking order of the five 2026 power unit manufacturers — Red Bull, Mercedes, Ferrari, Audi and Honda — and the results have surprised much of the paddock.
Mercedes, long considered the definitive benchmark of the hybrid era, has been assessed as more than 2% behind Red Bull's power unit, placing the Brackley-based outfit in line to receive one ADUO upgrade token this season. Ferrari, Audi and Honda have been assessed as more than 4% adrift, making all three eligible for two additional development upgrades. As the benchmark manufacturer, Red Bull Powertrains — producing its own Formula 1 engine for the very first time — will receive no additional development opportunities.
Although the FIA has yet to officially announce the ADUO numbers, the Monaco Grand Prix weekend was dominated by paddock speculation that Red Bull's internal combustion engine had been found to be the strongest of the field. As Lewis Hamilton himself confirmed, Ferrari are among those set to benefit from the ADUO mechanism following their assessment.
The implications are significant on multiple levels. Red Bull Powertrains is a first-time manufacturer — the notion that it has out-developed the established engine hierarchy in its debut season represents a remarkable achievement. Meanwhile, Mercedes, widely expected to lead the 2026 power unit order, finds itself classified as second-best, with Ferrari, Audi and Honda further behind than most anticipated.
If confirmed, the FIA's assessment would mark a decisive shift in Formula One's balance of power at the dawn of its most ambitious regulatory transformation in a decade — and the ADUO system, designed precisely for this scenario, will immediately begin closing the gap. The new era is only just beginning, but the engine hierarchy has already been redrawn.
Simone Scanu
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.