Mar.19 (GMM) Formula 1’s governing body is poised to accelerate plans to help struggling engine manufacturers close the gap to dominant Mercedes.
According to motorsport-magazin.com, the FIA will propose bringing forward the first assessment under the new ADUO (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunity) system, in part due to the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian grands prix.
Under the original schedule, the first performance comparison between engine suppliers was due after six races – a milestone now pushed back to Monaco in early June following the axed April events.
That delay would have favoured Mercedes, whose power unit currently leads the field.
The FIA’s proposal would effectively restore the original timeline by triggering the first ADUO review earlier in the season, potentially after Miami.
The move is expected to gain widespread support, with Mercedes likely to be the only manufacturer opposed.
Under the ADUO rules, manufacturers trailing the benchmark by more than 2 percent are granted additional development freedoms, with further concessions available at larger performance deficits.
Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur acknowledged the potential significance of the system.
“This will be an opportunity to close the gap,” he said.
“But performance doesn’t just depend on the engine. Energy management, chassis, tyres – everything counts.”
The push to accelerate the mechanism comes amid mounting pressure on the 2026 regulations, with widespread criticism of the new power unit concept, reliability concerns across the grid, and a clear competitive imbalance between manufacturers.
Some observers believe the sport risks repeating the kind of one-sided dominance seen at the start of the hybrid era in 2014 if no adjustments are made.
“There’s certainly a situation now where the good teams will fight to maintain the status quo, and the others will fight to change things,” former Formula 1 driver Felipe Massa told Diario Sport.
“If they don’t modify the regulations, it could be similar.”
He even suggested paddock rumours that Mercedes is still sandbagging, even after the season has begun, may be true. “Maybe Mercedes still does have a ‘magic button’,” Massa smiled.
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