Laurent Mekies, the team principal of Red Bull Racing, has publicly dismissed the notion that his squad possesses the premier power unit in the Formula 1 paddock. While the team acknowledges that its engine is not the absolute best, Mekies emphasized that Red Bull is eager to benefit from the new upgrade provision built into the 2026 technical regulations, which could allow them to narrow the performance gap. The 2026 rulebook introduces a performance‑balancing mechanism known as Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO). This clause is designed to give teams that fall at least two per cent behind the leader in internal‑combustion‑engine (ICE) output a chance to develop and install upgrades during predefined windows.
The intention is to keep the championship competitive by preventing a single manufacturer from pulling too far ahead. Initially, the first ADUO window was slated to open after the Miami Grand Prix, but the timetable may shift because the opening two rounds of the season – Bahrain and Saudi Arabia – were cancelled amid the Middle East conflict.
Those cancellations have compressed the calendar and could delay the start of the upgrade period. Mercedes has dominated the first three events, sitting atop the standings with a 119‑point advantage over Red Bull, which currently occupies sixth place. Despite that, there has been persistent speculation in the media that Red Bull’s ICE is actually the strongest on the grid.
That speculation is precisely what ADUO seeks to address, as the regulation measures performance based on the internal‑combustion component of the power unit. In an interview with Sky Sports News, Mekies was blunt: “Is our engine at the level of the very best? Absolutely not.” He went on to say, “Do we hope to be among the teams eligible for the catch‑up opportunity?
Yes, we certainly do.” This mirrors a recent comment from Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who argued that ADUO should be used to help lagging teams catch up, not to enable them to leapfrog the leaders. Mekies concurred, stating, “I think Toto is right.
The tool is here to catch up, not to leapfrog anyone. So I’m completely with him on that.” The regulation outlines three distinct ADUO periods throughout the season, each triggered when a team’s ICE performance is measured to be at least two per cent slower than the benchmark set by the top‑performing engine. Wolff has suggested that only Honda, which supplies Aston Martin’s power unit, truly needs the regulatory assistance, while he places Red Bull, Ferrari and Audi in a similar performance bracket to Mercedes.
Mekies, however, offered a slightly different perspective in a written interview, estimating that Mercedes holds a roughly three‑tenths of a second per lap advantage over Red Bull, a margin he attributes largely 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.
Extracting 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 season has also fueled rumors about the future of four‑time world champion Max Verstappen with the team.
Verstappen, who has expressed discontent with the upcoming 2026 regulations, hinted in Japan that he might consider leaving the sport after the current campaign. Mekies, however, remains optimistic that the forthcoming upgrades will provide a platform for Verstappen to extract maximum performance and rekindle 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 added, “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 continued, “We are conscious that the priority is that we give him a car he can push with. And this has not much to do with the regs. We knew we gave him and Isack (Hadjar) a very difficult car in the first three races. And we need to give him a car he can consistently push with.
Then after, it doesn’t mean that it will be fast enough for positions, but it means he can start to bring his ‘Max effect’ and we can start to build development onto that car.” He concluded on a hopeful note: “I have every confidence that things may not be fixed for Miami, but the team will get to the bottom of what is limiting us in the same way they did last year, and you will see more and more smiles 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 event via NOW without a long‑term contract, giving them flexible access to the action.
Overall, Red Bull acknowledges that its engine is not the outright leader but remains determined to leverage the ADUO system to close the gap with Mercedes. The team’s strategic focus on targeted upgrades, combined with Verstappen’s drive to push the car to its limits, will be crucial as the championship progresses into its mid‑season phase.