FIA Admits ADUO Has Weaknesses, But Defends Measurements

Nikolas Tombazis, FIA's single-seater director, has acknowledged that the ADUO (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities) system may need a rethink in the coming years, but he insists that the measurements are accurate.

ADUO has become one of the hottest topics in the Formula 1 paddock during the first half of the season. The system was introduced as a safety net for manufacturers that fall behind, partly in response to Honda's situation under previous regulations. In practice, it has turned into a political battleground.

Toto Wolff immediately warned that it should not become a "leapfrog mechanism," but there was considerable surprise when it was not Mercedes High Performance Powertrains but Red Bull Ford Powertrains that ended up at the top of the FIA's first ranking.

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There are two reasons for this. Firstly, the ADUO measurements are based solely on the internal combustion engine, creating a significant discrepancy between the measurement method and the development opportunities, which also cover the electrical side of the power unit. Secondly, there have been suggestions in the paddock that several manufacturers, including Mercedes and Ferrari, played the game cleverly by not showing their full hand during the opening race weekends to secure one ADUO token, or even two in Ferrari's case.

The outcome of the first period has caused frustration at Red Bull, which also explains why those results have still not been publicly announced. Red Bull Ford Powertrains has been placed at the top of the standings by the FIA, much to the frustration of Red Bull's top management.

When asked if the FIA has been surprised by all the controversy, Tombazis said, "In F1, it seems that almost everything is quite sensitive. It's very rare that you get 11 teams and five or six PU manufacturers saying, 'Fantastic, we all agree'. The only thing I think that everybody agrees on is that the August shutdown is a good thing, and I have to remind you that it was my idea. But that's the only thing that everybody agrees on."

According to Tombazis, two different aspects need to be distinguished when assessing ADUO: how accurate the measurements are and whether the system is working as originally intended. Amid all the dissatisfaction, Red Bull requested a factual verification of the results, but the FIA's measurements have proven to be accurate.

"I think our measurement, in my opinion, has proven to be very accurate. With that said, has everything worked fine? No, because obviously people are not happy. Do we need to think about improvements in the future? Yes, I would say so," he continued.

One of the apparent flaws is that other manufacturers could effectively put Red Bull in checkmate. If they continue playing the game and do not use the tokens they have been awarded to develop the internal combustion engine, they could theoretically keep Red Bull at the top of the ranking for longer. However, Tombazis does not believe things will go that far: "I don't think it would be convenient for you to always be below your maximum power just to keep getting more opportunities, because then what's the point of opportunities if it isn't ultimately for you to be on top?"

Tombazis admits that the system needs a rethink: "I think the system is working as it was designed, but I do think there are some weaknesses that we need to address in the future. Also to make it less time-consuming and less controversial, we do need to make some steps to improve it."

Meanwhile, Honda, which will introduce its first ADUO upgrade at Zandvoort, says the system works well for the manufacturer that needs it most. Honda's general trackside manager and chief engineer, Shintaro Orihara, said, "The number we received from the FIA looks reasonable. Thanks to ADUO, we are now working hard to develop our engine. At least for Honda, we have the maximum chance to develop our engine thanks to the ADUO system."