Red Bull will not receive any additional Formula 1 power unit development opportunities after the FIA confirmed that its latest ADUO assessment has produced no changes to the current engine rankings.
The governing body’s Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) system is designed to help manufacturers that are significantly behind the benchmark close the performance gap. Teams more than 2% behind the benchmark can receive additional development allowances, including increased cost-cap flexibility, extra dynamometer testing time and opportunities to introduce new power unit homologations during the season.
Manufacturers falling more than 2% behind are eligible for one upgrade during the current season and another in 2027, while those more than 4% behind can receive two upgrades in each season.
Following the first ADUO assessment, which covered the period through the Canadian Grand Prix, the FIA determined that Red Bull had the strongest internal combustion engine. Mercedes was judged to be around 2% behind, while the remaining manufacturers were assessed to be more than 4% off the benchmark.
The findings sparked controversy, with Red Bull disputing the FIA’s assessment and insisting that its own data did not show such a significant advantage over Mercedes. The team subsequently entered discussions with the governing body over the methodology and findings.
However, after reviewing the original assessment and completing a second ADUO evaluation covering the period from the Monaco Grand Prix through Hungary, the FIA has maintained its original position.
The FIA confirmed on Wednesday that the allocation of ADUO allowances remains unchanged. As a result, Red Bull will not gain any additional development freedom under the system and must continue with its current power unit specification.
The FIA did not disclose detailed figures from the second assessment, but the unchanged outcome indicates that no rival manufacturer was deemed to have closed the gap sufficiently to move within the required threshold of Red Bull.
The decision leaves Red Bull in a unique position among the F1 power unit manufacturers, as it remains the only manufacturer unable to benefit from additional engine development opportunities under the current ADUO framework.
Importantly, the additional homologation opportunities provided through ADUO are not cumulative. Once a manufacturer has received an allowance at a particular performance threshold, it cannot continue accumulating further opportunities at the same threshold.
For Red Bull, that means its challenge now shifts toward maximising the performance of its existing package while rivals continue to work within the development opportunities available to them.
