Red Bull remains the benchmark for Formula 1’s 2026 internal combustion engines, but the FIA’s latest ADUO assessment has brought the Milton Keynes manufacturer no additional development concessions. The governing body has now detailed which manufacturers qualified for extra homologation opportunities and how far their internal combustion engines sit behind the reference level.
The unusual consequence of the FIA’s Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities system is that Red Bull, despite being credited with the most powerful ICE, remains the only manufacturer with a direct interest in improving its position during the remaining 2026 assessment periods. Mercedes, Ferrari, Audi and Honda have already earned concessions, while Red Bull is still waiting for an opportunity to qualify.
Red Bull has the most powerful ICE in the FIA ADUO ranking
The recognition for the most powerful internal combustion engine went to Red Bull, at least according to the analysis from the first assessment period. That is a notable achievement for a manufacturer competing for the first time in 2026 with its new Powertrains operation.
It may also be an accolade Red Bull neither expected nor particularly wanted. Under the ADUO structure, manufacturers that fall sufficiently far behind the benchmark are given additional opportunities to develop and homologate revised Power Units. Being classified as the reference therefore means receiving no such assistance.
Mercedes, which falls within the 2% to 4% deficit range, is allowed one additional homologation opportunity for 2026 and one for 2027. Ferrari, Audi and Honda, all of which are more than 4% behind the benchmark, are entitled to two additional homologations in each season. The broader Mercedes Formula 1 programme is therefore able to benefit from an ADUO concession despite the manufacturer’s strong competitive position on track.
The situation means Red Bull could theoretically lose ground from its current position as the reference if its rivals make effective use of the additional development opportunities available to them. The FIA’s classification concerns the internal combustion engine rather than the complete competitive performance of each Power Unit or car, an important distinction in understanding why the rankings do not necessarily mirror the championship order.
A detailed breakdown of the current categories also shows that Ferrari remains more than 4% behind Red Bull in the FIA’s ADUO assessment, giving the Maranello manufacturer additional development scope under the regulations.
Why only Red Bull can still gain from the next ADUO assessments
The regulations are clear on one important point: a manufacturer that has already received a concession during the relevant cycle cannot simply accumulate another identical concession in the following assessment period. As a result, the second period was effectively important for determining whether Red Bull itself had fallen far enough behind its rivals to qualify for additional development opportunities.
The FIA did not identify a performance deficit large enough to place Red Bull within one of the concession bands. The second assessment period therefore produced no need for any additional homologation allowances beyond those already established. Red Bull remains without an ADUO bonus.
The situation is particularly unusual because Red Bull continues to be treated as the technical benchmark while simultaneously watching rival manufacturers gain more freedom to develop. That dynamic has added another layer to a 2026 campaign in which Max Verstappen has also faced difficulties extracting the best from the RB22, despite the strength attributed to Red Bull’s combustion engine under the FIA measurement system.
Third ADUO period becomes Red Bull’s final 2026 opportunity
The first ADUO assessment period concluded at the Canadian Grand Prix, while the second ended at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Red Bull must now look towards the third and final 2026 assessment window if it hopes to qualify for additional development concessions.
That third period runs from the recently completed Dutch Grand Prix through to the Mexico City Grand Prix. For Red Bull, those races will determine whether its relative position changes enough to place the manufacturer within one of the ADUO deficit categories.
If Red Bull does fall sufficiently behind during that window, it would potentially gain concessions that could be used at least for 2027. If the current situation continues, however, the Milton Keynes operation would head into next season without the additional development opportunities already available to Mercedes, Ferrari, Audi and Honda.
For now, the irony of the system remains clear: Red Bull’s reward for being classified as Formula 1’s strongest internal combustion engine manufacturer is precisely the absence of additional development freedom. The third assessment period therefore represents its last opportunity in 2026 to change that position.
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