Toto Wolff backs FIA rule shake-up despite Red Bull frustration

Toto Wolff

Toto Wolff backs FIA rule shake-up despite Red Bull frustration

Mercedes team boss backs ADUO ruling

By Graham Shaw.

Thursday 25 June 2026 23:00

Formula 1's controversial ADUO regulations continue to divide opinion across the paddock, but Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has thrown his support behind the FIA's approach.

The Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities framework was introduced to prevent any single power unit manufacturer from establishing an overwhelming performance advantage, a scenario Wolff acknowledges Mercedes benefited from during the sport's previous engine era.

While the Austrian believes the regulations help maintain a more competitive field, he argues they stop well short of the kind of Balance of Performance systems used in other categories, insisting the FIA's measures preserve the essence of Formula 1 competition while limiting the risk of one manufacturer dominating.

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The new rule ranks all the power units in F1, and then gives teams upgrade opportunities during the season based on their rank. This left Red Bull fuming after they were deemed to have the best PU on the grid right now.

Even though Max Verstappen is no longer contending for wins, Red Bull must sit tight with no chances to improve its power unit. Meanwhile the dominant Mercedes car gets one upgrade while other manufacturers Ferrari, Audi, and Honda get two.

Verstappen and Red Bull get zero upgrade opportunities.

Wolff says ADUO stops one team dominating for long

“The system was designed as a safeguard to prevent what happened in 2014, when one engine manufacturer gained such a huge advantage that it translated into excessive testing miles and race results,” he told GPFans.

“We were fortunate to be on the right end of that at the time.”

Rosberg and Hamilton dominated between 2014 and 2016.

Balance of Performance is 'off limits' in F1

While Formula 1 has long used measures such as extra wind tunnel time and computer simulations for lower-ranked teams to keep the field close, Wolff is quick to reject any comparison between the new engine approach and a Balance of Performance (BoP).

In other championships - like the World Endurance Championship and GT3 racing – a BoP system is used to add weight or restrict engine performance.

“I get a rash even thinking about BoP,” he said. “It’s completely off limits in Formula 1 and creates a political quagmire in every other series.”

Wolff believes BoP can drive manufacturers away from motorsport, something he has seen happen in series such as DTM, GT racing, and at Le Mans.

“We must never be tempted to let anyone decide how a BoP should work. If there’s a mechanism that allows for fine-tuning to ensure no one gets an unfair advantage with their power unit, then that’s the right path to follow, especially since measures in aerodynamics were designed for an entirely different set of challenges.”

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