FIA, here comes the ADUO
Formula 1 fans are becoming familiar with four letters that have entered, and will increasingly enter, the automotive jargon, at least with the current generation of power units. It is the ADUO, the English acronym for “Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities“, and it is a mechanism that allows struggling engine manufacturers to get back to work on the internal combustion engine, and thus update their power unit.
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No later than two weeks after the Canadian GP, the FIA will officially announce which power unit suppliers will benefit from the extra hours to be used on the test bench, and will do the same after the Hungaroring and Mexico City weekends. A few minutes ago the Federation also published a sort of “FAQ” on the ADUO, to make the action and effects of this mechanism more understandable.
The statement explains that the FIA will monitor the performance of each internal combustion engine and calculate a performance index based on a series of factors, including torque, engine top speed, MGU-K power, and a weighting to account for the sensitivity of power on the measured lap time. Those with an internal combustion engine lagging by at least 2% compared to the best performing one will obtain the ADUO. As explained by the FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis, the mechanism will not balance performance: “It is a Cost Cap relief mechanism, where a power unit manufacturer meeting the ADUO criteria has the opportunity to develop their engine through cost relief. A manufacturer will still have to build the best engine to win. It is not a magic solution, but a margin of maneuver to develop the power unit“. This margin is defined by the technical regulations, which explain that each manufacturer lagging from 2% to 4% will receive benefits up to 3 million dollars. From 4% to 6% the benefit reaches up to 4.65 million dollars, from 6% to 8% up to 6.35 million dollars, from 8% to 10% up to 8 million dollars. If there is a delay of at least 10% compared to the best ICE, the manufacturer in question can enjoy 11 million dollars and, only for the 2026 season, an extra up to 8 million dollars for future periods to support development activities.
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In terms of number of updates, manufacturers in the “2-4% range” will be entitled to one homologated power unit update in the current season and a further update in the following season. All others, i.e. manufacturers with at least 4% lag from the reference, will be entitled to two updates in the current season and another two in the following season. Power unit manufacturers who were not granted the ADUO after the first two FIA evaluations of a championship will not be able to benefit from it after the final period of the same season. Manufacturers must comply with the FIA’s timing indications for bringing updates: these updates, in fact, are not cumulative, they cannot be “saved” for the following season and those who do not use them according to the required timing will simply lose them. However, if a manufacturer who after Canada has at least 4% lag is still above this threshold after the first 2027 evaluation, in the next championship they will be able to use four updates (the two obtained in 2026 but intended for 2027 and the two they will have next year for the current season).
Regarding the allowed updates, it will be possible to modify a wide variety of components even though the parameter for the ADUO remains the ICE. The work areas include some elements of the internal combustion engine, the engine exhaust system, the turbocharger, the wastegate valve exhausts, electrical components, sensors mounted on the internal combustion engine or exhaust, the ERS and related cooling systems, the MGU-K and vehicle control electronics, as well as some hydraulic functions, fluids and ballast.
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