MERCEDES HAS IMPROVED ITS F1 ENGINE - BUT NOT WITH ADUO

Mercedes introduced new engine components in Austria, delivering a performance bump without using their ADUO token. The FIA deems Mercedes' ICE 2% behind Red Bull, qualifying them for extra development. While rivals like Ferrari and Audi have used their ADUO allocations, Mercedes held off, opting instead for reliability tweaks on their new power units. These revisions, especially to battery control electronics after failures in Canada and Barcelona, allow Mercedes to run the engines more aggressively, yielding "a bit more spiciness" and natural gains.

Toto Wolff confirmed no performance upgrades were included or currently planned. This strategy directly threatens Red Bull, who fears being locked out of their own ADUO. Red Bull’s eligibility hinges on a rival's ICE surpassing theirs by 2%, which Mercedes is actively avoiding. The FIA will review all power unit performances between Monaco and Hungary, a critical period determining future ADUO rankings and Red Bull's development path.