The International Automobile Federation (FIA) has brought forward the first application of the ADUO (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities) system to after the Canadian Grand Prix on May 24. This system was designed to assist struggling manufacturers and maintain competitive balance among F1 power units.
The governing body has also widened the engine disparity index range, expanding the support package. This change indicates that some manufacturers have power units with a deficit exceeding 10% compared to the leading Mercedes. According to international media, the worst-performing supplier is Honda, which powers Aston Martin.
Originally, the first ADUO phase was scheduled after the Miami Grand Prix, the sixth race of 2026. However, rule amendments were officially confirmed on Friday, taking into account that the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix—originally the fourth and fifth rounds—were not held in April.
Under the regulations, three ADUO execution periods are stipulated. In each period, eligible teams receive benefits to develop their engines, including special permission for additional testing, extra upgrades, and adjustments to the cost cap.
New ADUO Application Periods for F1 2026
Period 1: Rounds 1 to 5
Period 2: Rounds 6 to 11
Period 3: Rounds 12 to 18
This is good news for Honda, Ferrari, Ford, and Audi, all of which are trailing behind the leading Mercedes. Honda, Aston Martin’s supplier, has been struggling since pre-season testing. Ferrari has performed reasonably well with its works team but remains far behind with customer teams Cadillac and Haas. Ford, returning to F1 after 22 years as a partner of Red Bull and Racing Bulls, has also lacked race pace—so much so that four-time champion Max Verstappen has yet to score a podium this season.
The situation is similar for Audi, the debutant outfit with Brazilian driver Gabriel Bortoleto, which has only two points after four rounds. So far, Cadillac (Ferrari) and Aston Martin (Honda) are the only teams without points in the championship.
What Actually Changes?
Previously, the F1 regulations categorized manufacturers based on engine performance disparities: up to 2%, 2% to 4%, 4% to 6%, 6% to 8%, and above 8% relative to the leader. Now, two new categories have been created: 8% to 10% and above 10% power discrepancy. These categories determine how many extra testing hours manufacturers can receive for development.
With the changes, manufacturers whose power units are more than 10% behind Mercedes can gain up to 230 extra testing hours, up from the previous limit of 190 hours.
Performance Delta Index for F1 2026 Engines
- Below 2%: 0 extra testing hours
- 2% to 4%: 70 hours
- 4% to 6%: 110 hours
- 6% to 8%: 150 hours
- 8% to 10%: 190 hours
- Above 10%: 230 hours
The technical regulations remain under development, with further adjustments expected as the season progresses.
