Laurent Mekies, the team principal of Red Bull Racing, has firmly dismissed the notion that his outfit possesses the premier power unit in the Formula 1 hierarchy. He clarified that, while the team is competitive, its engine does not rank at the very pinnacle, and consequently Red Bull is looking forward to the chance to benefit from the new development window that the 2026 technical regulations provide. The 2026 rulebook introduces a performance‑balancing provision known as Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO).
This mechanism is designed to narrow the gap between the leading power‑unit manufacturer and those that fall at least two per cent behind in terms of internal‑combustion‑engine (ICE) performance. Teams that meet the threshold will be granted extra allocation of parts and engineering hours to upgrade their engines during predefined periods in the season. Originally the first ADUO window was slated to open after the Miami Grand Prix, but the schedule may be shifted because the opening two rounds—Bahrain and Saudi Arabia—were cancelled amid the escalating Middle‑East conflict.
The disruption has forced the FIA to reconsider the timing of the upgrade slots, though the principle remains: the lagging manufacturers receive a chance to catch up, not to jump ahead of the leader. Mercedes has dominated the first three rounds of the 2024 campaign, sitting atop the constructors' standings with a comfortable 119‑point lead over Red Bull, which currently occupies sixth place. Media speculation, however, suggested that Red Bull’s ICE might actually be the strongest on the grid, a claim that would have placed the team squarely in the ADUO eligibility list.
Mekies rejected that narrative when speaking to Sky Sports News. "Is our engine at the level of the very best?
Absolutely not," he said. "Do we hope to be among the groups that can be offered the chance to catch up?
Yes, that is exactly what we are aiming for." Mekies echoed the sentiment expressed earlier by Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, who described ADUO as a tool for narrowing deficits rather than enabling a team to leapfrog the leader. Wolff has been vocal that the rule should be used by those truly trailing, naming Honda—supplying Aston Martin—as the only manufacturer in clear need of the extra development allowance.
He placed Red Bull, Ferrari and Audi in a similar performance bracket to Mercedes, suggesting they are within a competitive range. The ADUO schedule outlines three distinct periods during which the FIA will assess engine performance and award the upgrade slots. Any constructor whose ICE is measured at least two per cent slower than the benchmark will be granted the additional parts and engineering time.
In a separate written interview, Mekies offered a more granular view of the performance gap. He estimated that Mercedes holds a roughly three‑tenths of a second per lap advantage over Red Bull, a substantial margin that he attributes largely to the German team’s superior ICE. "Mercedes is clearly ahead of most of us," Mekies noted, adding that Honda appears to be the outlier struggling the most, while Ferrari and Audi are likely running in a comparable performance window to Red Bull. He also highlighted the difficulty of extracting a fair comparison of ICE performance across the field, given the myriad variables that influence lap times.
Nevertheless, he believes the overall results to date provide the clearest picture of where each team stands relative to the others. Red Bull’s shaky start to the season 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 the sport after the current season concludes. Mekies, however, remains optimistic that the forthcoming upgrades will give Verstappen a platform to showcase his talent again and restore his confidence.
"The Max we see is a fully committed Max. He wants a fast car and he is helping the team to get a fast car," Mekies said.
He emphasized that Verstappen’s passion for the sport remains undiminished and that his outspoken nature when he feels the car is lacking is a positive driver for progress. Looking ahead to the Miami Grand Prix, which also marks the second Sprint weekend of the year, Mekies believes the new regulatory adjustments could provide a modest boost.
"He is embracing the step forward the regulations bring for Miami," the team principal said. "Will it be enough?
We have time to see together if it will be sufficient." He stressed that the priority for Red Bull is to hand Verstappen a car that he can push consistently, noting that the first three races presented a particularly challenging package for both Verstappen and his teammate Isack Hadjar. "We need to give him a car he can push on a regular basis," Mekies asserted.
"It may not instantly translate into more podiums, but it will allow Max to unleash his ‘Max effect’ and give us a solid foundation for further development." Mekies concluded with confidence that, even if the upgrades are not fully realized by the Miami event, the team will continue to dissect the performance limitations that hindered them earlier in the year—just as they did in the previous season. He anticipates that as the upgrades roll out, Verstappen’s smiles will become increasingly frequent, reflecting a car that finally matches his expectations.
The Miami Grand Prix, scheduled for May 1‑3, will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming options available through NOW without a long‑term contract. This event will be the first real test of how the ADUO provisions and Red Bull’s targeted upgrades affect the competitive balance as the season progresses.