F1 ADUO: Who Gets to Develop Power Unit Further?
Ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix, rival teams considered Ferrari the clear favourites. The tight street circuit typically minimises the need for outright engine power, which is the exact area where the Scuderia currently struggles most against the competition.
However, the anticipated victory failed to materialise. Lewis Hamilton managed to secure second place but was never truly in contention for the win. Before the red flag, the British driver was trailing by more than twenty seconds. Despite this significant deficit, Ferrari management remains optimistic and believes they are maximising the current capabilities of the car.
It is no secret that the Italian outfit is lagging in straight-line speed. However, the ADUO system presents a genuine opportunity to bridge that gap. Although the FIA has yet to officially publish the data following the evaluation deadline, teams have already reviewed the findings. Hamilton himself took the liberty of sharing the preliminary results with the media.
Surprising power unit rankings
When assessing the ADUO parameters, the governing body strictly evaluates the pure power of the internal combustion engine while completely disregarding electrical deployment. According to the seven-time world champion, the most powerful engine on the grid does not belong to Mercedes but rather to Red Bull.
This revelation is quite surprising given that Milton Keynes lacked an engine manufacturing facility just a few years ago. Their success is largely due to an aggressive recruitment drive that poached top engineers from rival manufacturers and former Honda staff after the Japanese brand initially stepped back from its Formula 1 project.
Following Red Bull and Mercedes, Ferrari currently holds the third most competitive power unit. This position grants them access to development tokens under the ADUO regulations to unlock further performance. Hamilton noted after the Monaco race that Red Bull leads the pack, Mercedes follows closely and Ferrari is trailing in third. He confirmed that the team now has the necessary tokens to develop the engine and slowly reduce the deficit.
As per preliminary reports, Mercedes gets 2% concessions under ADUO to develop their engine. Ferrari gets 4%.
The long road to recovery
Redesigning a power unit to achieve parity is a long-term endeavour. Both Hamilton and Mattia Binotto have emphasised that eliminating the gap will require significant time. For context, Audi sits fourth in the engine rankings just ahead of Honda and is targeting full performance parity by 2028. Hamilton explained that the engine project will take eight to ten months rather than a few weeks.
Despite the long wait for engine improvements, Ferrari is still planning to introduce aerodynamic upgrades for the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix. The Barcelona circuit serves as the perfect testing ground to evaluate new components and gather vital aerodynamic data.
Looking ahead to the next race, Hamilton expressed hope that the new parts will bring the team closer to the front but acknowledged the immense challenge they face. He warmly praised his former team, noting that Mercedes are currently operating on another level and become incredibly difficult for anyone to beat when performing at their absolute best.
