Helmut Marko has called for Formula 1’s ADUO regulations to be changed immediately after Red Bull was identified as the benchmark engine manufacturer under the FIA system, despite the team currently sitting behind Mercedes, McLaren and Ferrari on overall performance. The former Red Bull adviser argues that judging only the internal combustion engine does not accurately reflect the competitiveness of a complete 2026 power unit.
The ADUO system, developed by the FIA together with Formula 1 and the power unit manufacturers, was created to help manufacturers that struggled with their new engines at the beginning of the latest regulatory era. Instead, the mechanism has continued to generate debate and considerable confusion.
Why Red Bull receives no ADUO development opportunities
The controversy intensified when it became clear that, according to the data collected by the FIA, the strongest internal combustion engine at the start of the 2026 season was not Mercedes. Mercedes-powered cars have won 10 of the opening 12 races, with eight victories for Mercedes itself and another two for McLaren.
Instead, Red Bull was identified as the benchmark despite having achieved only four podium finishes. The contrast is particularly striking given the difficulties Max Verstappen and the RB22 have faced this season, with the Red Bull struggling to match the leading cars over a complete race weekend.
The explanation lies in how the ADUO ranking is calculated. The assessment considers the performance of the internal combustion engine rather than the entire power unit package. As a result, the Red Bull-Ford ICE can be classified as the benchmark even if the complete Red Bull power unit does not necessarily provide the strongest overall performance once the electrical system, battery, software and energy management are taken into account.
That leaves Red Bull facing an unusual situation. The team is currently the fourth force among Formula 1’s leading outfits, clearly behind Mercedes, McLaren and Ferrari, yet it is not entitled to additional ADUO development opportunities for its power unit.
Ferrari, Audi and Honda, by contrast, have been granted additional development opportunities, as has Mercedes. The latest FIA evaluation therefore leaves Red Bull in the paradoxical position of being unable to benefit from the mechanism despite its wider competitive struggles.
Helmut Marko demands changes to Formula 1’s ADUO rules
Helmut Marko has now joined those questioning how the system operates. Speaking to Austrian publication Oe24, the former long-time Red Bull adviser argued that the regulations fail to take into account all the elements that determine the effectiveness of a modern Formula 1 power unit.
“These regulations are incomplete and need to be changed immediately,” Helmut Marko said. “The power unit consists of the combustion engine, electric motor, software and battery. In that respect, Red Bull certainly does not have the best power unit.”
His criticism focuses on the distinction between the ICE performance measured for ADUO purposes and the effectiveness of the complete propulsion system. That difference has become especially significant in 2026, with electrical deployment and energy management playing a major role alongside outright combustion-engine power.
The FIA’s ranking has also attracted attention because Mercedes remains at the front of both championships while still qualifying for additional development opportunities. Red Bull, meanwhile, is enduring a far more difficult season, and Max Verstappen has been unable to reproduce the dominance of previous years.
A detailed breakdown of the current ADUO picture also shows how Ferrari, Audi and Honda sit further behind the Red Bull ICE benchmark, giving those manufacturers greater scope for additional development.
Red Bull now has to wait for the next ADUO review
For now, however, the regulations remain unchanged. Red Bull must wait for the next assessment of power unit performance and, paradoxically, hope that its combustion engine falls further behind its rivals if it is to become eligible for additional development opportunities.
It is an unusual consequence of a mechanism originally designed to bring manufacturers closer together. While Red Bull’s ICE sits at the top of the ADUO ranking, the team itself remains well behind the championship leaders in the 2026 Formula 1 standings.
For Helmut Marko, that contrast is evidence that the current method does not provide a complete picture of power unit competitiveness and should be revised. For the moment, though, it is another example of the complexities created by Formula 1’s new technical era.
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