Red Bull pushes FIA to fix ADUO system after being labelled F1's benchmark power unit

Red Bull is pressing the FIA to reform Formula 1’s Additional Development and Upgrades Opportunities system after the team was controversially identified as the series’ benchmark power unit under the new 2026 regulations, team principal Laurent Mekies confirmed.

ADUO, introduced this season, measures V6 internal combustion engine performance at the end of each quarter and distributes upgrade tokens to manufacturers trailing the benchmark. Most observers expected Mercedes — which has dominated the new era — to be classified as the benchmark, but the system instead flagged Red Bull Ford, because it evaluates only the ICE component rather than the full hybrid package in which Mercedes has excelled.

Under the latest standings, Mercedes has been granted one token for sitting 2–4% down on power, while Ferrari, Audi and Honda each hold two tokens for deficits exceeding 4%. Red Bull has received none.

FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis has already acknowledged “weaknesses” in the methodology, and Mekies confirmed that talks are under way about revising the system ahead of 2027.

“We were surprised — and a bit more than that — at the initial evaluations from the FIA,” Mekies said. “We made our case. We showed them why we felt it was not capturing the right picture. We are having discussions with them on what can be improved in the methodologies for next year.”

Despite holding no tokens, Mekies was clear that Red Bull’s development programme has not stalled. The team has pursued relentless hardware-adjacent improvements throughout 2026, with a significant upgrade package introduced at September’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where Max Verstappen finished runner-up within a second of the leading Mercedes.

“Whilst ADUO is trying to somehow estimate the peak power of the ICE, there is a huge number of other performance factors that can be developed and improved,” Mekies said. “Especially in the first year for us as a power unit manufacturer. There is huge development work in the background, even though you cannot change the hardware.”

Mekies also struck a pragmatic tone on the broader situation, signalling that Red Bull intends to focus on its own progress rather than continuing to lobby publicly. “At some stage, you concentrate on yourself and you keep pushing with what you have,” he said. “Ultimately, we prefer to be in a position to have a strong engine and no ADUO rather than a weak engine and claiming the ADUO.”