Preventing a Repeat of 2014
Learning from its lessons, Formula One decided that when all-new engines came along this season, no single manufacturer would be allowed to dominate as Mercedes did when the V6 hybrid was introduced in 2014. Yet when accused of implementing a Balance of Performance (BoP) system like the one used in the WEC, F1 insisted its engine upgrade system would, in fact, exist to prevent any manufacturer from falling significantly behind the field and being locked in with a flawed engine architecture.
Measuring Power via the ADUO Program
And so came into being the FIA’s ADUO (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities) program, where the relative power of the various manufacturers’ internal combustion engines is measured at certain points in the season. Should any fall more than 2% behind the benchmark power unit, that manufacturer is granted upgrade opportunities.
Initially, the FIA proposed a measurement system that included both the internal combustion engine (ICE) and the hybrid systems; however, a number of manufacturers preferred a process where only the ICE was measured for power. Outvoted, the FIA complied.
Red Bull’s Leap into the Unknown
This year, the Red Bull F1 empire dared to step into the unknown. Never before in history had a customer team gone out and built its own engine from scratch—and the current generation of power units is the most complex ever.
Expectations were low as rivals mocked the goal set out by the management in Milton Keynes. When asked back in 2025 how he thought Red Bull would fare with its new engine program, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff commented:
“They are gonna be sh*t. My first answer would be that’s Mount Everest to climb. Because our engine departments have grown over tens of years.”
Politics, Poaching, and Driver Negotiations
Wolff appeared to be critical of then-Red Bull boss Christian Horner, whom he suggested had started Red Bull Powertrains as a vanity project. This suggestion came after negotiations with Porsche collapsed—a breakdown Wolff thinks Horner brought about.
The Mercedes boss used these low expectations for Red Bull’s first-ever F1 engine to beef up his campaign to persuade Max Verstappen to join Mercedes for this season. Yet, despite some very public courting from Wolff, the Dutch champion decided to remain with his Red Bull team.
Meanwhile, Red Bull had been recruiting experienced F1 power unit engineers—many from Mercedes High Performance Powertrains—something Wolff dismissed as inconsequential to the Mercedes cause. Come the start of the season, it appeared that Red Bull was indeed wide of the mark compared to Mercedes and Ferrari, although quicker than the likes of Audi and Honda, who have decades of experience producing racing engines.
The Monaco Surprise
Red Bull Emerges as the ICE Benchmark
Then came the huge surprise announced in Monaco. After the FIA had tested their relative internal combustion engines across the first five race weekends of the year, it was Red Bull that had the most powerful combustion engine. The paddock was stunned, and Red Bull inquired as to how the FIA had come to its conclusions.
Mercedes had won every Grand Prix up to that point, often by a significant margin over the rest of the field. It felt like 2014 déjà vu all over again—yet Red Bull was deemed to have the most powerful engine.
Paddock Suspicion and Rivals’ Upgrades
With the second FIA PU measurement due after the summer break, few expect anything to have changed. Ferrari has delivered a small upgrade focused on lubricants to its PU, and Mercedes has so far elected merely to upgrade unreliable components—which every team can do under the strict gaze of the FIA.
Of course, Ferrari has now won a couple of Grands Prix, as has Lando Norris, so the competitive landscape looks a little different than when the first test results were revealed. Ferrari is expected to deliver a much larger upgrade to its power unit after the summer break, which will include significant alterations to its turbocharger unit.
Yet none of this is expected to alter the fact that Red Bull will remain ahead of the field in terms of ICE power—and some quarters of the paddock are suggesting foul play. If neither Mercedes nor Ferrari significantly upgrades their ICE, it will lock Red Bull in at the head of the field as the unassisted benchmark.
The FIA Defends Its System—With Caveats
Tombazis Weighs In on Measurement Accuracy
The FIA’s Single-Seater Director, Nikolas Tombazis, has defended the accuracy of the FIA’s ADUO measurement findings, although he accepts that the criteria for determining power rankings may need to change.
“Everything is quite sensitive because everyone is so competitive and so focused on their relative position compared to the others,” he said. “So yes, it has been quite a challenge. I think our measurement, in my opinion, has proven to be very accurate.
“With that said, has everything worked fine? No, because obviously people are not happy and so on. Do we need to think about improvements in the future? Yes, I would say so.”
Rejecting Game Theory and Deliberate Weakness
Finding consensus among the various manufacturers and their customer teams is rarely easy. Regarding the possibility of a manufacturer like Mercedes choosing not to use its development tokens in a deliberate effort to stymie any upgrade opportunity for Red Bull, Tombazis was dismissive:
“Well, I don’t think it would be convenient for you to always be below [your maximum power] just to keep getting more opportunities, because then what’s the point of opportunities if it isn’t ultimately for you to be on top?” Tombazis explained.
Looking Ahead to 2031 Engine Politics
In conclusion, he believes the system is working as it was conceived, but that very conception may need a rethink:
“I do think there are some weaknesses that we need to address in the future. Also, to make it less time-consuming and less controversial, we do need to make some steps to improve it in the future.”
These comments are the result of discussions taking place behind the scenes at the Power Unit Manufacturers’ Forum. The politics there are complex and encompass a myriad of topics where give-and-take is demanded. This includes pushback from the FIA over its much-hated hybrid power units, which several manufacturers still wish to retain from 2031 onward.
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A.J. Hunt is Senior Editor at TJ13, where Andrew oversees editorial standards and contributes to the site’s Formula 1 coverage. A career journalist with experience in both print and digital sports media, Andrew trained in investigative journalism and has written for a range of European sports outlets.
At TJ13, Andrew plays a central role in shaping the site’s output, working across breaking news, analysis, and long-form features. Andrew’s responsibilities include fact-checking, refining editorial structure, and ensuring consistency in reporting across a fast-moving news cycle.
Andrew’s work focuses particularly on the intersection of Formula 1 politics, regulation, and team strategy. Andrew closely follows developments involving the FIA, team leadership, and driver market dynamics, helping to provide context behind the sport’s biggest stories.
With experience covering multiple seasons of Formula 1’s modern hybrid era, Andrew has developed a detailed understanding of how regulatory changes and competitive shifts influence the grid. Andrew’s editorial approach prioritises clarity and context, aiming to help readers navigate complex developments within the sport.
In addition to editorial duties, Andrew is particularly interested in how media narratives shape fan perception of Formula 1, and how reporting can balance speed with accuracy in an increasingly digital news environment.
