‘What’s transpired is baffling’ – Questions asked about the FIA ADUO decision
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The findings of Formula 1’s first round of ADUO have been revealed, and David Croft is perplexed that Mercedes has been awarded an upgrade opportunity.
Mercedes has dominated the F1 2026 championship, stringing together a run of six pole positions all converted into Grand Prix victories, to lead both championship fights.
David Croft questions FIA ADUO upgrade decision
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It led to speculation that the power unit designed by Mercedes High Performance Powertrains (HPP) was the best on the grid. Not according to the FIA’s ADUO [Additional Development Upgrade Opportunities].
Although the FIA has not publicly announced its ADUO findings, sources have told PlanetF1.com that it is actually Red Bull Powertrains’ DM01 that has set the benchmark.
However, ADUO doesn’t cover the engine performance as a whole, just that of the internal combustion engine.
Given that Red Bull’s first-ever ICE has emerged as the benchmark, RBPT will not have the opportunity to upgrade the internal combustion engine while Mercedes, at least two per cent down, will receive one upgrade opportunity.
Sky Sports commentator Croft is perplexed given that Red Bull, despite the ADUO findings, trails Mercedes by 72 points to 244 after just six race weekends.
While ADUO was introduced to ensure that no one lagged behind, he doesn’t believe this is helping the sport in any way.
“Once again it seems we have found a way to help people catch up, but then at the same time found a way to kick ourselves in the backside with our own feet in F1 terminology,” Croft told The F1 Show podcast.
“How have we got to a situation where the team with the best, from the outside, power unit and chassis package put together, now get upgrade opportunities alongside the team that it’s beating?
“And the team that are struggling a little bit now suddenly has the best engine, the best internal combustion engine, and can’t make those upgrades?
“If this is some sort of balance of performance, it’s not exactly going to balance anything out.
“I don’t understand why we’ve got this in Formula 1. We’ve never had a balance of performance in the past. I don’t understand why we need it now.
“If at the end of the season you have such a stinker that you need to improve your power unit, fine, do it. Give people some extra money to do that. But why are we in this position?”
His solution is that rather than allow some power unit manufacturers to upgrade their ICEs mid-season, the FIA should lift the cost cap on all the PUMs and let them throw money at perfecting their engines.
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“What I would prefer to have seen in the first – and maybe second – year of these current power units, to enable all the engine manufacturers to make a power unit that is reliable and is the best that they possibly can, is not put them under the cost cap restrictions,” he explained.
“Let them spend and upgrade. So unfreeze the engine, don’t have a cost cap, and let them get it right, because they are very complex beasts.
“And we’ve got, certainly in Audi and in Red Bull Powertrains, and to a certain extent Honda coming back, new people at the table.
“Make it simple. Because what’s transpired is baffling.”
ADUO, though, has nothing to do with reliability nor with the entire car package, it relates solely to the internal combustion engine.
Formula One introduced it give the sport’s power unit manufacturers the ability to improve their product if it is found to be lagging behind the benchmark performer.
Perhaps the big question now after this first round is should it relate to the power unit as a whole.
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