F1 leaders Mercedes granted engine upgrades, none for Red Bull
LONDON: Mercedes will be allowed engine upgrades, despite leading both Formula One championships by a considerable margin, after the governing FIA concluded that Red Bull – fourth overall and without a win in 2026 – had the strongest power unit.
The FIA has granted Mercedes one additional engine homologation in 2026 and another in 2027, despite Mercedes leading both Formula One championships. The decision comes after Mercedes secured the engine upgrades under the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) mechanism, which allows manufacturers to receive additional upgrades if their power unit falls at least 2% below the best-performing one across defined review periods.
The first review period concluded after the Canadian Grand Prix in May, while the second ended after the Hungarian Grand Prix in late July. Mercedes provide engines to four teams, Ferrari to three, and Audi and Honda to one each. Red Bull, who were fourth overall and had not won a race in 2026, were not granted any additional upgrades, confirming their engine as the benchmark despite being a new power unit this season.
The ADUO ratings had leaked prior to the official announcement, causing controversy given Mercedes' dominance in the first six races of the season. Red Bull's four-time world champion Max Verstappen expressed surprise at the decision, stating, "We were all a little bit surprised with that news."
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
- F1 leaders Mercedes granted engine upgrades, none for Red Bull channelnewsasia.com
