NO F1 ENGINE MANUFACTURERS TO GET EXTRA UPGRADES AFTER FIA’S THIRD ADUO EVALUATION

The FIA's third power unit performance check of the season produced no additional upgrade slots for any engine manufacturer, keeping the competitive order frozen through the U.S. Grand Prix. Only the first evaluation — run through Canada — triggered the new ADUO system, handing Audi, Ferrari and Honda two extra homologation windows each after falling more than 4% behind Red Bull-Ford's benchmark. Mercedes, closer but still trailing, got one.

The system, introduced with 2026's power unit regs, lets the governing body manage upgrade frequency based on performance gaps. Critics have compared it to the World Endurance Championship's balance-of-performance regime, a model despised in sports-car racing for artificial parity. Single-seater boss Nikolas Tombazis defended the concept but acknowledged refinements are coming. For now, the grid runs what it's got — no last-minute leveling before the title run closes.