Audi has confirmed that it will introduce no further significant Formula 1 power unit upgrades during the 2026 season after already using its first ADUO development opportunity in Spain. The German manufacturer will instead concentrate its efforts on 2027, when it hopes to make a much more substantial step forward.
Like Ferrari, Audi feared that the British and Belgian Grands Prix could expose the R26 because of its engine power deficit. However, as was also the case for the Maranello team, the chassis characteristics made the difference at Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps, helping to compensate for what the power unit lacked. This was particularly evident through the high-speed corners, where a stronger exit places less demand on the engine.
Audi R26 improvements raise hopes in Hungary
There was therefore hope that Audi could perform well in Hungary, where engine performance is not as decisive. The team’s latest developments had helped generate more downforce through the slow sections where the R26 struggled most during the opening part of the season. As demonstrated at Spa-Francorchamps and Silverstone, Audi’s main strength had previously emerged in medium- and high-speed corners.
“We introduced the upgrade in Austria, and that helped us considerably, especially in the low-speed corners, where we were a little weaker,” Audi racing director Allan McNish explained in Hungary. “We also adapted certain aspects and managed, I would say, to improve the drivability. Once again, these are characteristics connected to the slow corners. In those situations, that is what matters.”
Drivability is another fundamental element of Allan McNish’s explanation. As this is the first time Audi has produced both its engine and gearbox entirely in-house, it was reasonable to expect some early difficulties with how those components respond to driver inputs during acceleration and deceleration.
Audi’s ADUO upgrade focused on drivability rather than power
Audi addressed that area immediately after receiving confirmation of its ADUO status from the FIA, introducing an update in Spain at the race directly following the publication of the manufacturers’ performance figures. Rather than increasing outright power, the main objective was to improve drivability because a more predictable car can deliver an immediate performance gain. Gabriel Bortoleto previously explained how the ADUO update targeted drivability instead of pure engine output.
The revised specification represented Audi’s first updated Formula 1 power unit, but a power deficit clearly remains to be addressed. Mattia Binotto has already indicated that Audi does not expect to close that gap before 2028, when the objective is to have a competitive car capable of beginning to fight for victories as part of its gradual path towards challenging for the world championship in 2030.
With two ADUO homologation opportunities available, Audi could theoretically have chosen a staged development programme. The manufacturer has nevertheless confirmed that no further major evolutions will arrive during the remainder of the 2026 season.
Why Audi’s next power unit upgrade will wait until 2027
“It will come next year,” Allan McNish said in Hungary when asked when Audi’s next power unit upgrade would arrive. He confirmed that the team had considered the compromises involved in deciding which areas should receive the greatest priority, particularly within the constraints of the budget cap.
Additional resources will be available for ADUO development and the 2027 engines, but Audi must still determine how to use them effectively.
“I think everyone has to manage that compromise between when you introduce upgrades, both on the chassis and the power unit, and where you choose to invest the budget,” Allan McNish added. “Because, you know, you cannot spend everything at once, otherwise you have nothing left with which to fight later. It has to be a careful management of expectations, and not just over one season, but across several seasons.”
The decision reflects the long-term philosophy behind Audi’s plan to fight for the Formula 1 world championship. The manufacturer is attempting to balance immediate progress with the larger gains required during the next stages of its development programme.
“From our point of view, with ADUO we already introduced something in Barcelona, a small adaptation that worked well and helped us along the way,” Allan McNish continued. “I would say that the most important parts will arrive in 2027. So I would not expect to see—in fact, we will not see—anything significant on the power unit until then.”
Honda adopts a similar development strategy
Audi is not the only manufacturer to have chosen this route. Honda has adopted a similar approach, with its only update officially scheduled to arrive at Zandvoort after making its debut during Wednesday’s filming day in Budapest. The remaining developments will then have to wait until 2027 as Honda also concentrates its resources on achieving a more significant step.
The timing follows Honda’s earlier decision to delay its ADUO power unit upgrade. The wider 2027 regulatory framework will be central to how manufacturers distribute their development resources, with further details available in the overview of the 2027 and 2028 Formula 1 power unit adjustments.
“I think we have managed to evolve our performance this year, and that has certainly also been connected to the power unit by trying to maximise some of its systems,” Allan McNish explained. “But the work on the chassis, with the upgrades, has been equally important. I think we have done that very well.”
“We will do that again during the second half of the season, while for the power unit the focus is on 2027. It is mainly a question of hardware, and that is not something you can change quickly.”
Audi’s decision means the R26 will continue to rely on chassis development and the optimisation of its existing power unit systems during the second half of 2026. The team believes the car has already shown that its cornering performance can help offset some of its engine deficit, but the larger hardware gains required to close the gap have now been reserved for 2027.
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