FIA crowns Red Bull as top F1 engine as rivals secure upgrades
Formula 1’s governing body has rated Red Bull as having the best power unit for the 2026 season, triggering engine upgrades for their rivals under a new development system.
The Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) evaluated the pecking order of the sport’s five engine manufacturers as part of the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) scheme.
Every manufacturer apart from the Milton Keynes-based outfit will be permitted to improve their powertrains after performance findings were shared with the grid.
Mercedes and Ferrari handed development lifelines
Documents reveal that Mercedes are currently more than two per cent behind the benchmark set by the Austrian constructors.
The Silver Arrows will subsequently receive one upgrade allowance for this year and another for the 2027 campaign.
Ferrari, Audi and Honda are deemed to be trailing by over four per cent and will be granted two upgrade tokens across both seasons.
The verdict arrives as a notable triumph for Red Bull, who are producing their own bespoke engines for the very first time.
Hamilton acknowledges significant deficit
The findings have generated surprise in the paddock, particularly given that Mercedes have boasted the most competitive overall package across the opening six rounds.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton revealed that teams were formally notified of the ADUO results during the recent Monaco Grand Prix weekend.
“Red Bull have the most powerful engine, Mercedes second, and then we are behind,” the Ferrari driver stated.
“We’ve got now these tokens to try to develop and close the gap, but that’s like an eight-to-10-month project so it’s not something we can just do next week,” the British veteran added.
FIA insists system is not a magic bullet
The governing body has deliberately kept its measurement metrics secret to prevent manufacturers from manipulating their performance data to secure favourable allowances.
FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis emphasised that the ADUO framework functions strictly as a financial relief mechanism.
“A team or manufacturer will not suddenly get greater fuel flow rate or more or less ballast. It simply provides them with leeway to develop.”
The chief motorsport regulator clarified that manufacturers meeting the criteria still need to engineer a winning power unit.
“It’s not a magic bullet, or like the FIA is handing out brownie points to somebody who’s behind,” Tombazis concluded.
