FIA Admits ADUO Has Weaknesses, Open to F1 Rethink

Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA's single-seater director, has spoken out about the controversy surrounding the ADUO (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities) system that has marked the first half of the 2026 Formula 1 season. He admitted that the system, designed as a safety net for manufacturers falling behind, has several weaknesses and needs to be reconsidered for the coming years.

Since its introduction, ADUO has become a political battleground in the paddock. Toto Wolff warned early on that it should not become a "leapfrog mechanism." However, surprise came when Red Bull Ford Powertrains, not Mercedes HPP, topped the FIA's first ranking.

There are two main reasons behind this controversy. First, ADUO measurements are based solely on the internal combustion engine (ICE), creating a significant discrepancy between the measurement method and the actual development opportunities, which also cover the electrical side of the power unit. Second, there are suspicions that several manufacturers, including Mercedes and Ferrari, deliberately held back their performance during the early race weekends to secure ADUO tokens, with Ferrari reportedly earning two.

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The outcome of the first period has caused frustration at Red Bull, which also explains why those results have not yet been publicly announced. Tombazis insisted that the FIA's measurements are accurate but acknowledged that the system has not worked flawlessly.

"I think our measurement has proven to be very accurate," Tombazis told Motorsport.com. "But has everything worked fine? No, because people are not happy. Do we need to think about improvements in the future? Yes, I would say so."

One apparent flaw is that other manufacturers could effectively put Red Bull in checkmate. If they continue playing the game and do not use their tokens to develop the ICE, they could theoretically keep Red Bull at the top of the ranking for longer. However, Tombazis does not believe things will go that far in practice.

"I don't think it would be convenient for you to always be below [your maximum power] just to keep getting more opportunities," he said. "Because then what's the point of opportunities if it isn't ultimately for you to be on top?"

He also opened the door to changing the system in the future. "I think the system is working as it was designed, but I do think there are some weaknesses that we need to address," he concluded. "Also to make it less time-consuming and less controversial, we do need to make some steps to improve it in the future."