FIA chief warns ADUO ‘not a magic bullet’ for underperforming F1 power unit suppliers
The FIA's Nikolas Tombazis during pre-season testing in Bahrain.
FIA Single Seater Director Nikolas Tombazis has said ADUO is not a “magic bullet” and “a manufacturer will still need to make the best engine to win.”
Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) relates to the ability of the five power unit suppliers to improve their product if it is found to be lagging behind the benchmark performer.
FIA chief plays down impact of ADUO
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While the FIA does not release the data to the public, it has been measuring the performance of the internal combustion engine at every event, and ADUO will be granted to manufacturers who are down on performance to the leading ICE by two per cent or more.
Ahead of the season, the 24-race calendar was divided into four equal segments of six races, marking clear and easy checkpoints at which to evaluate the power units according to a power unit indexation.
The first checkpoint was originally scheduled for after the Miami Grand Prix, which was the sixth race of the calendar under the original schedule, but the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix interrupted that timeline.
A meeting of the World Motor Sport Council ahead of the Miami GP ratified changes to the checkpoints and as a result, the first checkpoint for ADUO is now marked as coming after the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix, the fifth round of the championship.
Honda’s engine is down compared to the benchmark but Ferrari, Red Bull and Audi are currently being debated as to whether they too should receive the extra benefit.
But while that debate continues, the FIA’s Tombazis has said the process is not going to suddenly increase the performance of any of the power units.
“It’s important to make clear that ADUO is not a kind of balance of performance mechanism,” he said. “A team or manufacturer will not suddenly get greater fuel flow rate or more or less ballast.
“It is, in fact, a Cost Cap relief mechanism, where a PU manufacturer meeting ADUO criteria during a review period is given an opportunity to develop its engine through a downward adjustment.
“That’s not to underestimate it but a manufacturer will still need to make the best engine in order to win. It’s not a magic bullet, or like the FIA is handing out brownie points to somebody who’s behind, it simply provides them with leeway to develop their power unit within the framework laid out by the Technical Regulations.”
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Tombazis went on to detail just what the ADUO benefits will receive and pointed to the regulations which state the main benefit is monetary.
“The positive impact of ADUO on a manufacturer’s expenditure is laid out in Article E4.1.1.t of the 2026 Formula 1 Regulations,” he said. “The article defines the allowances granted for each ADUO period to manufacturers that falls 2% or more outside the performance of the best PU to support development activities outside its cost cap calculation.
“Specifically, every manufacturer from 2-4% behind will get allowances up to USD $3.0m. From 4-6% behind is up to USD $4.65m, from 6-8% is up to USD $6.35m, 8%-10% is up to USD $8m.
“For manufacturers having a deficit of 10% or more, in addition to an allowance for each ADUO period up to USD $11m, there’s the additional possibility, for the season 2026 only, to anticipate up to USD $8m of Cost Cap of future periods to support development activities.”
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