Verstappen clarifies Red Bull’s alleged engine advantage as FIA data sparks debate – Max Verstappen has offered a more nuanced explanation of Red Bull’s alleged Formula 1 power-unit advantage, arguing that FIA measurements showing the team’s Red Bull-Ford internal combustion engine (ICE) at the top of the field do not tell the complete story.
The FIA’s ADUO measurements have identified Red Bull-Ford Powertrains as the benchmark manufacturer for ICE performance, with Mercedes reportedly around two to four percent behind. Ferrari, Audi and Honda were understood to be further away.
However, the ADUO framework measures the performance of the internal combustion engine rather than the complete hybrid power unit. That distinction has become central to the debate over how much of an advantage Red Bull actually possesses.
FIA measurements focus only on the ICE
The current power units combine an internal combustion engine with an electrical system and battery, meaning an advantage in one area does not necessarily translate into an equivalent advantage in overall power delivery.
Red Bull has challenged the suggestion that its power unit enjoys a significant advantage over Mercedes. Team principal Laurent Mekies previously said that the team’s own telemetry did not support the conclusions being drawn from the FIA’s measurements.
“We do not see a single data sample that indicates we have an advantage over our friends at Mercedes,” Mekies said.
Red Bull subsequently sought a deeper discussion about the methodology and what the figures actually demonstrate.
Verstappen points to the battery difference
Verstappen has now explained why he believes the ICE figures should not be viewed in isolation.
Asked about the ADUO findings, the four-time world champion pointed out that the FIA’s measurement does not include the battery component of the power unit.
“The point is, you have the measurement of the engine, the ICE, and not the battery, right?” Verstappen said. “They are two different things.”
He continued: “Ultimately, they deliver almost the same amount of power. If you measure only one thing, we might be very good on the ICE side.”
“But perhaps we aren’t as strong on the battery side compared to Mercedes. That is how it looks at the moment in terms of power delivery.”
The comments provide an important distinction between being the strongest manufacturer in a particular measurement and having the strongest overall power unit.
Red Bull still sees room for improvement
Verstappen’s assessment also suggests that Red Bull is not viewing the FIA data as evidence that it has solved the power-unit challenge.
Instead, the Dutchman stressed that the team needs to continue improving across every part of its package.
“We simply have to do a better job,” he stated. “We keep working and try to improve in every aspect. That applies to the car, the engine, and the battery.”
That approach will become increasingly important as the manufacturers continue developing their 2026 power units and gain more understanding of the new-generation regulations.
Why the power-unit debate matters
The distinction between ICE performance and total electrical output is particularly significant under the current regulations, where the hybrid system plays a much larger role in overall power delivery.
If Red Bull does possess an advantage in combustion-engine performance but Mercedes is stronger electrically, the headline ICE figures alone would not accurately represent the difference between the two manufacturers on track.
Verstappen therefore appears to be separating the FIA’s specific measurement from the broader question of which manufacturer has the most effective overall power unit.
“It is an ongoing development process that we need to work on, but that takes time,” Verstappen concluded.
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Thiago Treze is a Brazilian motorsport writer at TJ13 with a background in sports journalism and broadcast media, alongside an academic foundation in engineering with a focus on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). This combination of technical knowledge and editorial experience allows Thiago to approach Formula 1 from both a performance and narrative perspective.
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OF COURSE the debate matters … just another cock-up by the powers that be who know nothing about things they should but pretend to