Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has publicly appealed to the FIA to make sure that the new 2026 power‑unit regulations, which permit manufacturers to develop their engines throughout the season, do not upset the established competitive order in Formula 1. The rule set for 2026 introduces a performance‑balancing mechanism intended to give teams that fall behind the leading power‑unit supplier a chance to narrow the gap.
Specifically, the regulations outline three windows of Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) during the year. Any manufacturer whose internal‑combustion engine is judged to be at least two percent slower than the benchmark – currently the best‑performing unit – will be eligible for these development slots.
The governing body, the FIA, is expected to clarify how these provisions will be applied before the next race weekend in Miami. Mercedes enters that event with a clear advantage, having won the first three Grands Prix of the season and sitting atop the constructors' standings.
Wolff stressed that the spirit of the ADUO system is to allow lagging teams to catch up, not to enable them to overtake the frontrunners in a single leap. "The principle behind ADUO is to give teams that are on the back foot a realistic path to improve their power units, but it must never become a tool for leap‑frogging the current leaders," Wolff said earlier in the week.
"Any decision on which team receives an ADUO carries a huge impact on the performance landscape and on the championship itself. Therefore, the process has to be executed with absolute precision, transparency and fairness. Gamesmanship has no place here; the FIA must act in the right spirit and with crystal‑clear criteria." Mercedes' own power unit, which is built in‑house, is widely regarded as the benchmark that other manufacturers may be asked to match. Wolff hinted that Honda, which currently supplies only Aston Martin, appears to be the sole power‑unit supplier that might need assistance under the new rules.
"From what I see, there is essentially one engine maker that is struggling and could benefit from help, while the rest are roughly on a similar performance level," he explained. "I would be very surprised – and frankly disappointed – if any ADUO decision ends up reshuffling the competitive hierarchy that we see today." The current grid includes several works teams and customer relationships.
Mercedes not only runs its own engines but also supplies power units to three customer teams – McLaren, Alpine and Williams. Ferrari, another works outfit, provides engines to Haas and the newly entered Cadillac. Red Bull has taken the bold step of developing its own power unit for the first time and supplies a junior squad, Racing Bulls.
Audi, meanwhile, operates as a works team without any customer teams. Ferrari has emerged as Mercedes' closest challenger in the opening rounds, and team principal Fred Vasseur has spoken positively about ADUO as a chance for the Italian squad to "close the gap" to the Silver Arrows. When asked whether he feared that an ADUO grant to Ferrari could later force Mercedes into a chase, Wolff replied, "I wouldn't say I'm worried. We are all monitoring the decision‑making process closely.
Our own data analytics give us a precise picture of where our engine performance stands relative to the competition. I trust that the FIA is looking at the same data and, I hope, remains committed to protecting the sport's integrity." Wolff emphasized that the ADUO system was designed as a catch‑up mechanism, not as a shortcut for a team to suddenly vault ahead. "You don't want to hand an ADUO to a team that then instantly leaps over another. The intention has always been to level the playing field gradually, not to create a new hierarchy overnight," he said.
The upcoming Miami Grand Prix, scheduled for May 1‑3, will be the season's second sprint weekend and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1. As the sport heads into the next phase of the 2026 campaign, all eyes will be on how the FIA interprets and applies the ADUO rules, and whether those decisions will preserve the current order or introduce a reshuffle among the top teams. In summary, Wolff's message to the FIA is clear: any additional development opportunities must be allocated with meticulous care, full transparency, and a steadfast commitment to maintaining the competitive balance that defines Formula 1. The governing body’s handling of these provisions will be crucial in ensuring that the championship remains fair, exciting, and true to its sporting ethos.