FIA to revamp F1 power unit ADUO amid loophole fears

Formula 1’s governing body, the FIA, said it plans to revise its Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) system for power units after concerns that some manufacturers used the framework for strategic advantage.

Officials confirmed the review is driven by worries that the policy’s structure was being worked to benefit certain manufacturers, rather than serving its original role as a safety net for less competitive power unit programmes.

ADUO’s measurement focus has become a flashpoint

The current ADUO framework precisely measures internal combustion engine performance, but it does not account for key electrical elements of the power unit. That narrow scope has contributed to political friction among teams, according to the information confirmed by the FIA.

Because the system is tied to measured performance on a limited set of components, the omission of electrical elements has prompted debate inside the paddock about whether the overall picture of power unit performance is being captured.

Paddock speculation centred on deliberate underperformance

Speculation circulating in the paddock suggested that some manufacturers, including Mercedes and Ferrari, intentionally underperformed during the first race weekends. The alleged aim was to qualify for additional development tokens under the ADUO mechanism, which critics argue would undermine the policy’s intended purpose.

Additional Development

The controversy intensified after Red Bull Racing officials expressed frustration when their power unit supplier, Red Bull Ford Powertrains, topped the FIA’s initial rankings for ADUO. Those complaints were raised in the context of claims that competitors had deliberately run below potential early in the season to influence the token outcome.

FIA signals broader parameters, including turbo size Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA’s single-seater director, had previously signalled openness to expanding the parameters used to judge ADUO performance, with turbo size cited as an example. That direction marks a shift from earlier discussions in which teams and manufacturers pushed to keep the system as simple as possible at its launch.

Future versions of the policy are expected to widen the scope of performance metrics materially, with the of turning ADUO into a more credible competitive equaliser and reducing the incentive to exploit gaps in how performance is assessed.

Integrating electrical elements to reflect overall performance

According to the FIA’s stated direction, the overhaul will refine ADUO so that it better reflects overall power unit performance by integrating both internal combustion and electrical components. The change is positioned as a direct response to the underperformance tactics being discussed within the paddock.

The governing body said it aims to strike a balance between keeping the system workable and ensuring measurements are comprehensive enough to prevent strategic manipulation, while supporting genuine competition and innovation across the grid in upcoming seasons.