F1 News: Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari could receive FIA lifeline in bid to catch Mercedes in title fight

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Montreal, Canada, 2026 — Photo: © IMAGO

Ferrari F1

Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari could receive FIA lifeline in bid to catch Mercedes

Can Ferrari get closer to Mercedes?

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Monday 1 June 2026 19:43

A key FIA ruling could be set to change Ferrari's season, following a Monaco Grand Prix that they are predicted to win.

Ferrari's success in low-speed corners means that they are the bookmakers' favourites to win the Monaco GP this weekend, as Charles Leclerc looks for his second win in his home town.

Lewis Hamilton's good form so far in 2026 means that he is the second favourite with the bookies to claim his first grand prix victory in Ferrari red, and his first win in Monaco since 2019.

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Whatever happens on track for Ferrari this weekend, however, they are also expected to receive a huge boost from the FIA which could shape the rest of their season.

Ferrari will find out following the Monaco GP whether or not they will receive additional design and upgrade opportunities (ADUO), an opportunity to develop power units further.

The FIA put the ADUO safety net in place at the start of the year in order to help struggling power unit manufacturers, and manufacturers who are struggling in comparison to the best power unit (Mercedes) are given extra time to work on their power units.

This is done on a sliding scale dependent on how far behind they are, so Honda, for example, will likely be given the most amount of time.

Will Ferrari be given ADUO time?

There are three ADUO windows across the season, but the first one comes into play following the Monaco GP.

According to Motorsport.It, Ferrari are expecting to have two upgrades available from the first ADUO period which they believe will give them an extra 25 horsepower.

The above publication state that the first measure could be implemented as early as the Austrian GP at the end of June, before they also expect to make more gains with the second ADUO period, if they are granted that one too.

Hamilton and Leclerc are set for a title race boost.

How does ADUO work?

According to Article 4 of Appendix 4 of the new technical regulations, a manufacturer qualifies for the development period if their: "ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) Performance Index is at least two per cent but less than four per cent below the best-performing ICE."

They are then eligible for one additional homologation upgrade in 2026, and one additional homologation upgrade in the following season.

If their ICE Performance Index is 'at least four per cent below the best-performing ICE', a power unit manufacturer can then receive two additional homologation upgrades in 2026, and two additional homologation upgrades in 2027.

The amount of time power unit manufacturers get in the ADUO period varies. If they are between two and four per cent behind the top power unit, then they will get 70 operating hours, and this incrementally rises depending on how far behind the best power unit they are.

If an underperforming power unit is more than 10 per cent behind the best on the F1 grid, then the manufacturer will get a whopping 230 operating hours to work on and develop upgrades for their power unit.

F1 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Mercedes FIA