The FIA has initiated a fresh review of the ADUO data following concerns raised by Red Bull regarding the results that emerged from the first evaluations based on the opening five races of the season. Although the governing body had already shared the outcome of its analysis with the teams, no official public statement has yet been released.
Within the Barcelona paddock, discussion has intensified around the rankings that reportedly emerged from those assessments and which leaked in recent weeks. The most surprising aspect was the position of the Red Bull power unit at the top of the standings for the internal combustion engine component alone.
The result caught many observers off guard, particularly because Mercedes had widely been regarded by paddock insiders as the benchmark when it came to outright thermal engine performance.
Red Bull questions the findings
Unsurprisingly, the reported leadership position was not welcomed enthusiastically within Red Bull.
While no official comments have been made publicly, information gathered by Motorsport.com suggests that senior figures within the team were both surprised and frustrated to find themselves ranked ahead of Mercedes in the FIA’s assessment.
According to the same report, Red Bull requested a review of the findings and subsequently secured a new examination of the data by the FIA. This additional verification process is believed to be the reason why no official announcement was made immediately after the Monaco Grand Prix, despite earlier expectations that the results would be published at that stage.
The FIA has committed to reassessing the entire process in order to ensure the highest possible level of accuracy in its evaluations.
In reality, FIA technicians had already carried out a second review of the collected data before the latest request arrived. However, in an effort to remove any lingering doubts raised by Red Bull Powertrains, the governing body decided to proceed with yet another verification exercise.
FIA confident the outcome will remain unchanged
Despite the additional checks, there appears to be a strong belief within the FIA that the final conclusions are unlikely to change.
The primary objective of the new review is not necessarily to alter the rankings but rather to ensure complete transparency and eliminate any potential controversy surrounding the process.
Given the significance of the ADUO mechanism and its potential influence on future power unit development opportunities, the FIA is keen to ensure that every manufacturer has confidence in the methodology used to establish the performance rankings.
The new verification process began last Monday and is expected to take approximately ten days to complete.
As things stand, the definitive outcome should be available by the end of next week. The FIA is then expected to communicate the final results through an official statement, bringing clarity to a process that has already generated considerable discussion throughout the Formula 1 paddock.
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