F1 rival could cause Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari to miss out on FIA upgrades

Hamilton, Ferrari, China — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 2026

F1 rival could cause Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari to miss out on FIA upgrades

Ferrari were hoping ADUO rules would work in their favour

By Remy Ramjiawan.

Monday 20 April 2026 17:00

Mercedes' power unit might not be deemed as the benchmark by the FIA as one F1 team could inadvertently block Ferrari's progress.

While Mercedes are leading the championship, it is Red Bull's power unit that is said to be the best performing of all of their rivals.

If this is proven to be true, Mercedes could receive extra upgrade opportunities while Red Bull’s engine, built by Ford, would not benefit from additional development time, this will also come as a blow to Lewis Hamilton and his Ferrari team hoping to catch Mercedes.

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This situation revolves around the FIA’s Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) program. The initiative is designed to help engine manufacturers lagging significantly behind the fastest power unit, specifically when the gap exceeds two per cent. Only then is the struggling manufacturer granted additional development time.

Is Red Bull the best engine?

According to The Race, although Mercedes currently appears to dominate, there’s a chance that the German team might still be second-best overall. The FIA primarily considers the performance of the combustion engine when distributing ADUO development time.

Some analyses point to the early potential of the Red Bull engine. Remember when Toto Wolff described it as the “benchmark” during winter tests? Its full potential might be hidden behind other elements of the package, such as the chassis and battery. In effect, the RB22 chassis may be limiting the engine from reaching its maximum performance.

This could even mean extra development time for Mercedes. If the theory holds true and Red Bull climbs to the top due to its strong engine, Mercedes might fall below the two-percent threshold, qualifying them for additional development opportunities.

Such an outcome would be a major setback for Ferrari, who are currently fighting with McLaren to catch up to Mercedes. With extra ADUO time, the German outfit could further extend their lead over Ferrari.

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