During the Australian GP, the first event of the 2026 Formula One World Championship, we learned that some manufacturers had already raised complaints about ADUO, the new system created by the FIA to allow engine manufacturers who started the season late to bridge the gap with the strongest more quickly. Some say recovering may be easier than in the past, but not as much as you might think.
If you read the FIA regulations, we are talking about two levels:
a) Those between 2 and 4% below the ICE Performance Index will be eligible to:
1 – An additional approval in the current year;
2 – A further approval the following year.
b) Those more than 4% behind the ICE Performance Index will be eligible to:
1 – Two additional approvals in the current year;
2 – Two additional approvals the following year.
Let's play a fantasy game
So far so good. 2% or 4% seem like small numbers. Let's play a fantasy game. Do we want to do a quick calculation to see how much they match if qualifying times were taken into account?
At the end of the Australian GP Q3s, many complained about the excessive difference between Mercedes and everyone else. Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren were about 8 tenths behind the leader. You're going to say so much. Yes, that's a lot, but which ADUO group would it fall into? The first or the second, or neither? Let's do a quick calculation.
Russell set the pole lap in 1'18’’518, while Hadjar set the lap in 1'19’’303 and Leclerc in 1'19’’327.
If we convert Russell's time to seconds, or 78.518, and apply the 2% margin, we get a time of 80.088. This is 1'20’’088. While if we apply the 4% margin we get 81.658. Which equals 1'21’’658 (here is the summary of qualifying times).
Therefore, by taking the qualifying standings in Melbourne, Ferrari and Red Bull would not even be in the first group (between 2 and 4%). To find the first manufacturer that would fall into the first band (between 2% and 4%) you would have to go down to Q2, Audi. While Honda would fall in the second.
Performance measurement will be done on the power
Fortunately, qualification is not one of the elements that the FIA will take into consideration when evaluating each manufacturer's engine. The data he will undertake to verify is the performance index, which depends on the power that the engines are capable of generating. Lap time is nothing more than a combination of power delivery and aerodynamic efficiency. The real times obtained by the cars are invalid. This article started as a trap to avoid making you fall into a possible mistake.
Of course, timing will not be taken into account, but it can equally be an indicator. Drivers like Ferrari and Red Bull will struggle to get back on the first ADUO steps, despite an 8-tenths gap in one lap.
The first FIA check-up will be carried out in Miami and will be based on the average of the top 5 GPs. We will therefore have to wait until the first weekend in May to obtain the results of this report.
Cover and internal photo: Red Bull Racing
Read also in italian language: ADUO presenta dei limiti, i costruttori già si lamentano
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