RED BULL EXPLAINS FIA ENGINE REVIEW: “NO DATA SAMPLE INDICATES AN ADVANTAGE OVER MERCEDES”

Red Bull Powertrains is challenging the FIA's initial assessment of engine performance, which controversially placed them atop the grid with no upgrade tokens for the first ADUO period. While Red Bull agrees the system should assess only internal combustion engine (ICE) power, team principal Laurent Mekies demands further review of the data. He claims Red Bull sees no evidence suggesting a definitive ICE advantage over rivals like Mercedes.

The FIA's provisional ranking gives Mercedes one token, and Ferrari, Audi, and Honda two. Mekies points to recent on-track results, where Red Bull struggled at high-power-sensitive tracks like Canada and Barcelona, qualifying P6, while performing better at low-sensitivity Monaco. This track performance, he argues, contradicts the idea of Red Bull having a consistently superior ICE. A verified ranking is crucial; if Red Bull stays atop, they could be checkmated, with rivals using tokens on other power unit elements, leaving them unable to develop.