Lewis Hamilton’s candid remarks following the Monaco Grand Prix have sent ripples through the Formula 1 paddock, revealing the FIA’s initial assessment for the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) engine program. The findings, particularly that Red Bull Racing possesses the fastest engine, have surprised several teams and sparked debate.
The ADUO framework, designed to allow manufacturers and teams further engine upgrades for the 2026 and 2027 seasons, bases allowances on how significantly their power units lag behind a benchmark. Crucially, only the internal combustion engine (ICE) is considered in this assessment.
Red Bull surprised despite ‘fastest engine’ declaration
According to the FIA’s findings, reported by Givemesport, Red Bull Racing has the fastest engine, meaning they will not receive additional help or upgrades under the ADUO program. This declaration, however, caught the team off guard. Max Verstappen, reacting to the ADUO news, told Sky Sports: “I think we can be proud of the job we have done, but it never felt like we were, let’s say, the best. That’s why we were surprised and that’s why I think we’re discussing with the FIA to understand what happened there.”
Red Bull’s surprise stems partly from the fact that not every engine component was assessed, and also from their current performance struggles under new regulations, which see them sitting fourth in the Constructors’ Championship with 72 points.
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Mercedes to receive upgrades despite dominant season
In a striking paradox, Mercedes’ engine has been deemed 2% behind Red Bull’s in the ADUO assessment, granting them an additional upgrade allowance for 2026 and 2027. This comes despite Mercedes’ dominant performance in the current season, where they have won every Grand Prix and lead both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships. Early in the season, George Russell had expressed confidence in the Mercedes package, stating, “Very nice, very nice. I like this car, I like this engine.”
The manner in which these critical findings came to light has also drawn attention. The FIA informed only manufacturers about the ADUO assessment on Sunday, not the individual teams. This led to many teams discovering the results through Lewis Hamilton’s public comments.
Scott Mitchell-Malm, a journalist on The Race F1 Podcast, highlighted the unusual situation: “What was quite funny, to be completely honest, is several teams only found out about the ADUO outcome because Lewis Hamilton had said it in the press conference.” Mitchell-Malm further described the situation as “quite messy,” noting that while the FIA does not allow a formal challenge to ADUO decisions, the fallout is likely to continue.
“So it is quite messy, and I am very curious to see what the fallout is politically, what we see when it’s finally communicated and then in the coming days, maybe even weeks and months, as people try to argue it or work it out. Because it’s not set in stone, like this is the only judgment now that happens over the rest of the year, it’s quite curious, quite curious situation overall,” Mitchell-Malm added, suggesting further discussions and potential arguments are on the horizon.
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Sources: www.givemesport.com, givemesport.com, givemesport.com, givemesport.com
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