F1 News: Mercedes and Red Bull chiefs unite in shock bid to help Aston Martin and Honda

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Mercedes and Red Bull chiefs unite in shock bid to help Aston Martin and Honda

Aston Martin help from unlikely sources

By Vincent Bruins.

Friday 18 September 2026 18:45

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Red Bull and Mercedes are considering changes to the F1 regulations to help engine supplier Honda and Aston Martin close the gap to the top teams.

Respective team bosses Toto Wolff and Laurent Mekies have expressed their shared commitment to keeping all major constructors competitive and might even approach the FIA to offer their support.

The current relationships among engine manufacturers are under close scrutiny.

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While the FIA recently ruled that Red Bull’s Ford-powered unit is the strongest, many in the paddock believe that Mercedes still sets the benchmark.

Honda, who only returned to F1 this year, are among the worst power units ranked by the FIA under the ADUO scheme and it's left the Aston Martin team near the back of the pack with just three points all season.

Despite these differing views, both top teams are ready to help lagging parties through the ADUO (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities) provisions.

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Wolff acknowledges Fernando Alonso concerns

Wolff explained that the existing catch-up mechanism isn’t sufficient for Honda.

“ADUO was initially designed as a catch-up tool and was unlocked for Honda, but they need more support,” the Austrian told Sky Sports.

The issue gained further attention when FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem recently discussed Fernando Alonso’s future and Aston Martin’s competitiveness.

Wolff fully understood these concerns, noting, “The conversation with Alonso was completely reasonable. We want all top constructors to be competitive and successful, and sometimes the rules need tweaking for the good of the sport.”

Red Bull star Max Verstappen (left) speaks with Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso

Mekies cites unanimous regulation changes

Mekies echoed Wolff’s cooperative outlook. “Even though we may not always agree, as a sport we try to keep an open mind about the regulations,” the French team principal said.

He recalled how the grid had previously united to grant struggling teams more development room.

He added: “Earlier this year, we saw a unanimous amendment of the ADUO regulations to help those further behind compared to the original setup, and all teams supported that for the benefit of the sport.”

Mekies anticipates that stakeholders will soon sit down again to iron out the remaining issues in the rules.

He continued: “We might not agree on everything, but when it comes to solving problems that affect the sport, we typically find a solution.

“I’m confident that we’ll eventually meet to discuss the future of the ADUO regulations.”