The FIA sought to lower expectations about the impact of the ADUO system on the new Formula 1 rules. Nikolas Tombazis, the entity’s single-seater director, stated that the mechanism will not be a miracle solution for manufacturers who start the new engine era at a disadvantage.
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ADUO, which stands for ‘Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities’, was created to allow power unit suppliers with below-reference performance to have a greater margin for development. Even so, Tombazis emphasized that teams will still need to produce the best engine to compete for wins.
The FIA has been monitoring the performance of combustion engines at all stages of the season, although the data is not publicly disclosed. According to the rules, manufacturers that are at least 2% below the best power unit may receive development benefits.
Initially, the first evaluation point was scheduled for after the Miami GP, the fifth round of the original calendar. However, the cancellations of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia GPs changed the schedule, and now the first analysis will take place after the Canadian GP.
Currently, Honda appears below the established reference, while Ferrari, Red Bull Powertrains-Ford, and Audi are also being evaluated for possible inclusion in the system. Despite this, Tombazis stated that ADUO does not function as a performance equalization mechanism.
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“It is important to make clear that ADUO is not a type of performance balancing,” said the director. “A team or manufacturer will not suddenly receive more fuel flow or less ballast. The manufacturer will still need to make the best engine to win. It is not a magic solution,” he said.
According to Tombazis, the main benefit of the system is financial. The regulation provides flexibilities within the budget cap for manufacturers that are between 2% and more than 10% behind the power unit performance reference.
The amounts vary according to the performance gap. Manufacturers between 2% and 4% behind may receive up to US$ 3 million in additional development margin, while deficits above 10% may generate up to US$ 11 million extra, in addition to the possibility of advancing up to US$ 8 million of the budget cap from future periods exclusively for development activities in 2026.
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