The FIA will review the results of its ADUO rankings in the wake of a clarification request from Red Bull about why its combustion engine has emerged as Formula 1’s benchmark, The Race can reveal.
As reported last weekend, the FIA notified teams on race day at the Monaco Grand Prix of its findings on the performance of each manufacturers’ power unit from the first five races.
Its analysis of the internal combustion engines declared that Red Bull was the best, so it would not be eligible for any upgrades under the ADUO (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities) catch-up mechanism.
Of more surprise was that Mercedes, which has won every race so far this season, was deemed to be more that 2% adrift of Red Bull so would be eligible for one upgrade this season and one next, plus $3million extra cost cap allowance and test bench hours.
Every other manufacturer, including Ferrari, was deemed to be in excess of 4% off so can have the maximum two upgrades this year and two in 2027.
While Red Bull has not commented publicly about the matter, it is understood that it was taken aback by the FIA’s findings – as its own analysis had shown it to be adrift of Mercedes.
Speaking earlier this year, Red Bull team boss Laurent Mekies had reckoned Red Bull’s ICE was three tenths of a second adrift of Mercedes.
“What we see is certainly Mercedes, a long way ahead of most of us,” he said.
With Red Bull having relied on the ADUO mechanism to be able to catch up with Mercedes this season, it being deemed to have the best engine means it will not be eligible for upgrades.
And, if others elect to hold back on introducing upgraded power units into next season, it means there will be no scope for it to bring developments at all.
That situation has prompted Red Bull to seek some clarity from the FIA about how the governing body came to its findings.
And following those discussions, The Race has learned the FIA has agreed to review its data from the opening five races of the season to double check its conclusions.
This will include evaluating the findings of power sensors fitted to each car that the FIA has used all season to check the output of each internal combustion engine.
The commitment to the review does not mean that its conclusion about Red Bull will change, but the FIA wants to be totally sure that its original findings are correct.
Further ADUO reviews of each team’s engine will take place after the Hungarian and Mexican Grands Prix.