- F1 ADUO scheme triggers its first engine performance review after Canada.
- Honda and Ferrari could qualify for millions in extra development spending.
- The FIA stresses ADUO is a budget tool, not a Balance of Performance fix.
The FIA will conduct its first formal assessment of engine performance gaps under a new catch-up mechanism after the Canadian F1 Grand Prix, with results due within two weeks of the race.
The scheme, called Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO), sits inside the 2026 technical regulations.
It grants struggling engine manufacturers extra spending room outside the sport’s financial limits if their internal combustion engine (ICE) falls at least 2% behind the best-performing unit on the grid.
The assessment covers the season’s first five races: Australia, China, Japan, Miami and Canada.
What ADUO actually is, and what it is not
ADUO measures a manufacturer’s engine against a defined ICE Performance Index.
That index draws on factors including engine torque, engine speed, MGU-K power and how sensitively lap time responds to power output.
A manufacturer whose ICE measures at least 2% below the benchmark qualifies for support. That support takes the form of additional budget, not a direct performance intervention from the FIA.
FIA Single Seater Director Nikolas Tombazis drew a firm line between ADUO and Balance of Performance systems used in sports car racing.
“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,” he said.
He added that it is “not a magic bullet” and that the FIA is not “handing out brownie points to somebody who’s behind.”
Why the timeline shifted and what happens next
The original plan placed the first review after Miami, which was supposed to be the sixth round of the F1 season. The cancellation of the Saudi Arabian and Bahrain races made Miami the fourth round instead.
The FIA responded by extending the first evaluation window to five races.
“The results will be communicated no later than two weeks after the Canadian Grand Prix,” the governing body confirmed in a statement.
Two more review periods follow. The second runs from Monaco through Hungary. The third opens at the Dutch Grand Prix and closes at the Mexico City Grand Prix.
Both windows, and the 2% threshold itself, may be adjusted if the calendar changes again or if the FIA’s measurement methods are refined.
The money behind the mechanism
The financial relief scales with the size of the performance gap. A manufacturer between 2% and 4% behind the leading ICE receives up to $3 million in additional spending room.
That figure rises to $4.65 million for a gap of 4% to 6%. Then to $6.35 million for 6% to 8%, and to $8 million for 8% to 10%.
Any manufacturer trailing by 10% or more receives up to $11 million per ADUO period. It also gets a one-time option, available only in 2026, to pull forward up to $8 million from future cost cap allocations.
Eligible manufacturers can spend across a wide range of components. These include ICE parts, turbochargers, exhaust systems, MGU-K systems, ERS cooling, control electronics and hydraulic functions.
Upgrades can be introduced as early as the race immediately following notification.
Who stands to benefit most?
Mercedes has led the way among engine suppliers in 2026, both in performance and reliability.
Honda, which powers Aston Martin, has had the hardest start. Vibration and drivability problems have plagued the team through the early rounds of the campaign.
For Aston Martin, ADUO support could prove decisive. Gabriel Bortoleto, driving for Audi, pointed to a separate disadvantage his team faces.
“We only have two cars,” he said. “There are teams that run eight cars with one powertrain. So imagine how much more we could learn if we had that many cars.”
Ferrari is also reportedly targeting a revised engine architecture, potentially from Spa in July, depending on how the FIA’s assessment lands. Audi, as a brand-new manufacturer with a limited data pool, could qualify too.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has urged the FIA to ensure the mechanism closes gaps without disturbing the front of the field.
His concern reflects a broader wariness in the paddock that the system could be exploited, or that it could inadvertently influence the championship.
The Canadian Grand Prix takes place next weekend. What the FIA finds when it tallies the numbers will go a long way toward shaping the rest of the 2026 season.
