Red Bull Powertrains’ 2026 engine has been declared the benchmark under the FIA’s new Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) system. This surprising ruling, delivered to teams in Monaco, means rival manufacturers Mercedes and Ferrari will get a green light for engine upgrades for the upcoming 2026 season.
Under ADUO, if a power unit's internal combustion engine (ICE) is deemed more than 2% adrift of the best, upgrades are permitted. Mercedes, currently dominating the championship, was judged over 2% off Red Bull’s ICE performance, earning one upgrade homologation, an extra $3 million in cost cap allowance, and 70 additional bench testing hours. Ferrari, along with Honda, was declared more than 4% adrift, securing two upgrade homologations and substantially higher allowances (at least $4.65M and 100 hours).
The FIA intentionally obscured the exact metrics to prevent teams from gaming the system, focusing solely on ICE performance, not energy recovery or deployment. This ruling could significantly reshuffle the 2026 power unit pecking order, creating a tighter field when new regulations hit.
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