Laurent Mekies, the team principal of Red Bull Racing, has firmly dismissed the rumours suggesting that his squad possesses the most powerful power unit in the Formula One grid. He stressed that the team does not consider its engine to be the benchmark and therefore hopes to benefit from the forthcoming development window that the new 2026 regulations provide.
The 2026 rulebook introduces a performance‑balancing mechanism known as Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO). This provision grants teams that lag behind the leading power‑unit manufacturer by at least two percent the chance to receive extra development allowances during the season. The intention is to narrow the gap rather than allow a team to leap ahead of the competition. Originally, the first ADUO window was slated to open after the Miami Grand Prix, but the schedule may shift because the opening two rounds – Bahrain and Saudi Arabia – were cancelled amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
Those cancellations have forced the FIA to reconsider the timing of the upgrade periods. Mercedes has dominated the first three races of the year, sitting atop the championship with a 119‑point lead over Red Bull, who are currently sixth.
Despite this disparity, some media outlets have speculated that Red Bull’s internal combustion engine (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 unequivocal: "Is it at the level of the very best? Absolutely not. So 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 Mercedes chief Toto Wolff’s view that ADUO should be used to help lagging manufacturers catch up, not to enable them to overtake the front‑runners in a single step. Mekies added, "I think Toto is right. The tool is here to catch up, not to leapfrog anyone. So I'm completely with him on that one." The ADUO framework outlines three distinct periods during which teams that are at least two percent slower than the best‑performing ICE can receive extra parts and development time.
Wolff has suggested that Honda, which supplies Aston Martin’s power unit, is the only manufacturer that truly needs this assistance, while he placed Red Bull, Ferrari and Audi in roughly the same performance bracket as Mercedes. In a separate written interview, Mekies estimated Mercedes’ advantage over Red Bull to be around three‑tenths of a second per lap, attributing a large portion of that gap to the German team’s superior ICE. He explained, "What we see is certainly Mercedes, a long way ahead of most of us.
And yes, you're right, one guy – Honda – is 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 sluggish start has also reignited speculation about the future of four‑time world champion Max Verstappen with the team.
Verstappen has voiced dissatisfaction with the 2026 regulations and hinted at the possibility of leaving Formula One after the season ends. Mekies, however, remains optimistic that the upcoming upgrades will give Verstappen a car capable of showcasing his talent and 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 emphasized that the priority is to deliver a car that Verstappen 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 them a very difficult car in the first three races, and we need to give them a car they can consistently push with. It may not be instantly fast enough for podium positions, but it will allow Max to unleash his 'Max effect' and give us a solid foundation for further development," he explained. He concluded with confidence that, even if the Miami upgrades do not solve every issue, the team will methodically identify and eliminate the performance constraints that held them back last year. "We will get to the bottom of what is limiting us, and you will see more and more smiles on Max's face," Mekies asserted.
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. Fans can also stream the race via NOW without a contract, cancelling at any time.