Red Bull is working with the FIA on how to tweak Formula 1’s Additional Development and Upgrades Opportunities system after its contentious findings, says team boss Laurent Mekies.
Laurent Mekies
ADUO is new for 2026 and measures the V6 engine performance of all power units at the end of each quarter, handing at least one upgrade token to manufacturers lagging behind.
But it was initially assumed that Mercedes-AMG Petronas would be deemed as F1’s benchmark due to its dominant start to the new regulations, yet instead the system claims it is Red Bull.
Max Verstappen
That is because it only considers the internal combustion engine, which is not the only performance differentiator in the current hybrids, with Mercedes-AMG Petronas excelling across the board.
Max Verstappen: 6th place, 188 points
Source: Motorsport
