FIA confirms Red Bull-Ford holds F1's most powerful engine after ADUO Period 2 review

The FIA has officially confirmed Red Bull-Ford as the holder of Formula 1’s most powerful internal combustion engine, following the publication of its Period 2 Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) evaluation on Wednesday 26 August.

The analysis covers all races from the Melbourne season opener through to round 11 at Budapest, and places the Red Bull-Ford power unit at the top of the performance hierarchy. Mercedes sits 2-4% behind the benchmark, while Audi, Ferrari and Honda are each more than 4% adrift. Honda’s new powertrain, introduced at last weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, was not included in this assessment.

No additional homologations were awarded following the Period 2 review. After the first ADUO period — covering the opening quarter of the 2026 season — Mercedes had been granted one additional homologation for both 2026 and 2027, while Audi, Ferrari and Honda each received two for both seasons. Those allowances translate into extra cost cap headroom and additional dyno testing time.

FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis said the governing body is confident in the rigour of its methodology. “The FIA has undertaken thorough and exhaustive analysis as part of our ADUO review process,” he said. “With the release of the findings of Period 2, we are confident that, based on the quality of the data, its analysis is incredibly robust, giving us a high level of confidence in our findings.”

Tombazis also acknowledged the sensitivity around sharing detailed results. “We also have to respect the confidentiality and intellectual property of the teams and their power unit manufacturers in disseminating any details from the findings,” he added.

With ADUO entering its first full season of operation, the FIA indicated the framework itself may develop over time. “This is the first year of ADUO so naturally there are areas which we may evolve over time, in discussion with all the PU manufacturers,” Tombazis said.

The next ADUO period will incorporate Honda’s updated power unit, potentially shifting the competitive picture before the end of the season.