Laurent Mekies, the team principal of Red Bull Racing, has firmly rejected the notion that his squad possesses the most powerful power unit on the grid. He clarified that, while Red Bull does not currently sit at the very top of the performance ladder, the team is counting on the upcoming engine‑upgrade window to narrow the gap to the leading manufacturers. Under the new technical framework for the 2026 Formula One season, the FIA introduced a performance‑balancing tool known as Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO).
This mechanism is designed to give teams whose internal combustion engines (ICE) fall at least two per cent behind the benchmark a chance to develop and introduce upgrades during three predefined periods throughout the year. The aim is to prevent a runaway advantage and keep the competition closer. The first ADUO window was initially slated to open after the Miami Grand Prix, but the schedule may be altered because the opening two rounds – Bahrain and Saudi Arabia – were cancelled amid the ongoing Middle‑East conflict. This uncertainty adds another layer of strategic planning for all manufacturers, especially those hoping to benefit from the extra development time.
Mercedes has dominated the first three races of the season, sitting comfortably at the top of the Constructors' standings with a 119‑point lead over Red Bull, who are currently sixth. Despite this points disparity, some media outlets have suggested that Red Bull’s engine might actually be the strongest in terms of pure ICE performance, a claim that would make the team eligible for ADUO assistance. Mekies dismissed these rumors outright.
In an interview with Sky Sports News, Mekies said, "Is it [Red Bull's engine] at the level of the very best? Absolutely not. Hence, do we expect to be in that group of people able to be given the possibility to catch up? Yes, we certainly hope to be in that category." He echoed the sentiment expressed earlier by Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who argued that ADUO should be used to help lagging teams catch up rather than to enable them to leapfrog the frontrunners.
Mekies agreed, emphasizing that the tool is intended to level the playing field, not to create a new hierarchy. The ADUO regulations outline three distinct upgrade windows during the season. Teams that are measured to be at least two per cent slower in ICE performance than the leader will receive additional development allowances for each window. Wolff has suggested that Honda, which supplies power units to Aston Martin, is the only manufacturer that truly needs this aid.
According to him, Red Bull, Ferrari and Audi are roughly on par with Mercedes, while Honda is noticeably trailing. Mekies provided a more nuanced view in a written interview, estimating that Mercedes enjoys roughly a three‑tenths‑of‑a‑second advantage per lap over Red Bull, a margin he attributes largely to the German team’s superior ICE. He added, "What we see is certainly Mercedes, a long way ahead of most of us. And yes, you're right, one guy [Honda] particularly behind.
The other guys are probably quite close to us, Ferrari and Audi, and fair enough, Honda is probably struggling a bit more. To extract the right combustion‑engine performance in a fair way across the teams is very difficult.
I think overall results are probably giving you the best, the most fair picture, of where everybody is at." Red Bull’s difficult start to the year has also fueled speculation about the future of four‑time world champion Max Verstappen with the team. Verstappen, who has voiced dissatisfaction with the 2026 regulations, hinted in Japan that he may consider leaving Formula 1 after the season concludes.
Mekies, however, remains optimistic that the forthcoming upgrades will give Verstappen a car capable of delivering the performance he expects, thereby restoring his enthusiasm. "The Max we see is a fully committed Max. He wants a fast car and he's helping the team to get a fast car.
He's bringing all his energy to that," Mekies said. He continued, "He's passionate about the sport. As you said, he raised his voice when he felt things needed to be done. We have a step forward for the regulations coming for Miami.
He's embracing that. Will it be enough? We have time to see together if it's going to be enough or not." Mekies stressed that the priority is to provide Verstappen with a vehicle he can push consistently, noting that the first three races presented a particularly challenging package for both Max and his teammate Isack Hadjar.
"We knew we gave him and Isack a very difficult car in the first three races. And we need to give him a car he can consistently push with," he explained. While acknowledging that the car may not instantly become a race‑winning machine, Mekies believes that a more competitive platform will allow Verstappen to unleash his famed "Max effect," accelerating the development trajectory of the RB‑something chassis.
He concluded with confidence, stating, "I have every confidence that things may not be fixed for Miami, but that the team is going to get to the bottom of what is limiting us in the same way that they have done last year, and that you will see more and more smile on Max's face." The upcoming Miami Grand Prix, scheduled for May 1‑3, will mark the second Sprint weekend of the season and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1. Fans can also stream the race via NOW without a long‑term contract, offering a flexible way to keep up with the championship as the ADUO windows and the battle for engine supremacy continue to unfold.