F1 leaders Mercedes granted engine upgrades, none for Red Bull

Formula One's governing body, the FIA, has permitted Mercedes to implement engine upgrades, a decision that has raised eyebrows given the team's substantial lead in both championships. The FIA's conclusion was that Red Bull, despite being fourth overall and winless in 2026, possessed the strongest power unit.

This decision stems from the FIA's Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) mechanism, introduced this season with the new engine regulations. The ADUO is designed to prevent a single manufacturer from establishing an insurmountable advantage by allowing additional upgrades if a power unit's internal combustion engine (ICE) performance lags by at least 2 percent behind the sport's best. Review periods concluded after the Canadian and Hungarian Grands Prix.

According to the findings, Mercedes fell within the 2-4 percent performance deficit window during the first review period, earning them one additional engine homologation for 2026 and another for 2027, along with corresponding adjustments to the cost cap and dyno testing allowances. In contrast, Audi, Ferrari, and Honda were found to be more than 4 percent behind, granting them two additional homologations for both 2026 and 2027.

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We were all a little bit surprised with that news.

Notably, Red Bull and its sister team Racing Bulls were not mentioned in the ADUO allowances, confirming their power unit was considered the benchmark. This is particularly significant as it's Red Bull's first season with their own in-house power unit developed in partnership with Ford. After 12 rounds, Mercedes leads Ferrari by 87 points, with Red Bull a distant 239 points off the lead. Even McLaren, which uses Mercedes engines and has won the last two races, is third overall.

The ADUO ratings had previously leaked after the first period, causing controversy due to Mercedes' early-season dominance, including winning the first six races. Red Bull had sought clarification in June, expressing concern about rivals receiving development advantages. FIA's single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis stated the analysis was "thorough and exhaustive" and acknowledged that the ADUO mechanism might evolve over time through discussions with manufacturers.

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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.