Formula 1 is preparing for another shake-up as the FIA announces changes to the 2026 power unit rules and their recent move is aimed at keeping the competition fair and giving struggling engine manufacturers a chance to catch up under the upcoming technical overhaul.
Will ‘ADUO’ Be a Helping Hand for F1 Engine Manufacturers?
Next year’s engines will still use the 1.6-liter V6 architecture, but hybrid systems will play a bigger role, and the MGU-H has been completely removed. This opens up fresh opportunities and challenges for all F1 engine manufacturers, with established names like Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull Powertrains facing competition from Honda and Audi going into the next season.
To help teams stay competitive, the FIA has introduced the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities concept, also known as ADUO. After Races 6, 12, and 18, the FIA will assess engine performance across all teams, and any manufacturer lagging behind will get extra development hours, cost cap relief, and chances to adjust their power unit homologation.
This gives them a real opportunity to catch up with the leaders without falling permanently behind.
“The most significant of these changes related to the ADUO concept (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities), which is intended to provide greater development opportunities for PU manufacturers who find themselves significantly behind their competition in terms of performance,” the sporting body announced after the World Motor Sport Council yesterday.
The FIA explained that ADUO is aimed at keeping the grid competitive and preventing one manufacturer dominating the entire season and also ensures that reliability issues do not completely derail a team under the strict cost cap rules.
This system also addresses past issues, such as Mercedes gaining a significant advantage with hybrid technology in 2014. The governing body’s continuous monitoring of performance and in-season development opportunities should ensure that no team has an unfair head start.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem highlighted the collaborative approach by saying, “As we continue our positive discussions with FOM and the teams to conclude the new agreement, together we have the chance to make history,” he said. “Our priorities are to continue to improve safety across all our single seater series, support the pathway for young drivers and ultimately to see our beloved sport grow.”
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali added that the sport is taking a cooperative approach, “Thanks to FIA and volunteers and ASNs for all their commitment and effort. This is an incredible moment, with our two roles working with clarity towards a strong future. We have built good momentum over the past few months and made great progress to ensure sound governance for the sustainability and well-being of the sport.”
These changes by the FIA show a clear intention to make 2026 an exciting season, with power unit performance potentially changing as the year progresses. The FIA’s ADUO system gives struggling manufacturers a real chance to fight back and keep the championship battles closer than ever.