Laurent Mekies, the team principal of Red Bull Racing, has publicly dismissed rumours suggesting that his squad possesses the most powerful power unit on the grid. He clarified that Red Bull does not currently hold the benchmark engine, and therefore the team is hoping to be eligible for the additional development slots that the new 2026 regulations will provide. The 2026 formula introduces a set of performance‑balancing tools known as Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO).
These measures are designed to give manufacturers that fall at least two per cent behind the leader in internal‑combustion‑engine (ICE) performance a chance to catch up by granting them extra testing time and component upgrades during predefined windows. Originally, the first ADUO window was slated to open after the Miami Grand Prix, but the schedule may be shifted because the opening two races of the season – Bahrain and Saudi Arabia – were cancelled amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
This disruption has left the timing of the upgrade period uncertain. Mercedes has dominated the early phase of the championship, winning the first three races and sitting atop the drivers' standings with a 119‑point lead over Red Bull, which currently occupies sixth place. Despite this gap, some media outlets have speculated that Red Bull’s ICE might actually be the strongest on the grid, a claim that would make the team eligible for ADUO support. Speaking to Sky Sports News, Mekies was blunt: “Is our engine at the level of the very best?
Absolutely not. Do we hope to be in the group that can receive the chance to close the gap? Yes, we certainly do.” He echoed Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff’s view that ADUO should be used to level the playing field rather than to give any team an outright leap‑frog advantage. Mekies stressed that, in his opinion, the Silver Arrows still hold the lead in ICE performance.
The ADUO framework outlines three distinct periods during the season when eligible teams can introduce upgrades. Eligibility is determined by a performance gap of at least two per cent compared with the manufacturer that records the fastest ICE lap times.
Wolff has suggested that only Honda – the supplier for Aston Martin – truly needs the assistance, while Red Bull, Ferrari and Audi are roughly on par with Mercedes. In a separate written interview, Mekies estimated that Mercedes enjoys roughly a three‑tenths‑of‑a‑second advantage per lap over Red Bull, attributing a large portion of that margin to the German team’s superior ICE. He added, “Mercedes is clearly ahead of most of us. Honda is the clear outlier lagging behind.
Ferrari and Audi appear to be much closer to our performance level.” Mekies acknowledged the difficulty of extracting comparable ICE output across different power‑unit designs, but argued that the overall results provide the fairest snapshot of each team’s relative position. Red Bull’s sluggish start has intensified speculation about the future of four‑time world champion Max Verstappen with the team.
Verstappen, who has expressed dissatisfaction with the upcoming 2026 regulations, hinted during the Japanese Grand Prix that he might consider stepping away from Formula 1 at the end of the season if the situation does not improve. Mekies, however, remains optimistic that the forthcoming upgrades will give Verstappen a car capable of delivering the performance he expects. He described Verstappen as “fully committed, eager for a fast car, and actively helping the team to achieve that goal.” Mekies noted that the driver has been vocal about the need for change and that the team’s upcoming regulatory window in Miami could provide the catalyst for progress.
“We are focused on giving Max a car he can push to the limit,” Mekies said. “The first three races were exceptionally tough for us, and we need a platform that lets him unleash his ‘Max effect.’ Even if the car isn’t the outright fastest, it must be consistent enough for him to extract maximum performance.” He expressed confidence that, much like the turnaround the team achieved last year, Red Bull will identify and eliminate the current limitations, leading to a noticeable improvement in Verstappen’s on‑track demeanor. The 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. Viewers can stream the event via NOW without a long‑term contract, and the race will serve as the first real test of whether the ADUO upgrades can narrow the gap between Red Bull and the front‑running Mercedes team.
In summary, Red Bull does not claim to have the premier engine in Formula 1, but it is actively seeking the regulatory leeway that ADUO offers to close the performance deficit. The team’s leadership acknowledges Mercedes’ current dominance, particularly in ICE output, while also highlighting that other manufacturers such as Honda are further behind. With the upgrade window approaching and Max Verstappen’s patience wearing thin, the coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether Red Bull can convert its development potential into tangible on‑track results.