Laurent Mekies, the team principal of Red Bull Racing, has pushed back against rumours suggesting that his squad possesses the most powerful power unit in Formula 1. He clarified that Red Bull does not currently enjoy the very best internal combustion engine (ICE) and therefore hopes to benefit from the upcoming development window provided by the sport's new regulations. The 2026 technical rulebook introduces a performance‑balancing tool known as Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO). This mechanism is designed to give teams that lag at least two percent behind the leading manufacturer a chance to improve their power units during designated upgrade periods.
The intention is to narrow the gap rather than allow any 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 be shifted because the opening two rounds – Bahrain and Saudi Arabia – were cancelled amid the Middle‑East conflict. The adjustment could affect when teams can start applying the extra development allowances. Mercedes has dominated the first three events of the season, sitting atop the championship with a 119‑point lead over Red Bull, who currently occupy sixth place.
Despite this clear points disparity, some media outlets have speculated that Red Bull's engine might actually be the strongest in the field, a claim Mekies firmly denied. In an interview with Sky Sports News, Mekies said, "Is our engine at the level of the very best? Absolutely not.
So, do we expect to be in the group that can receive the chance to catch up? Yes, we certainly hope to be in that category." He echoed Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff's view that ADUO should be used to help lagging manufacturers close the gap, not to enable a dramatic leapfrog over the leaders. Mekies was clear that, in his opinion, the Silver Arrows still hold the most advanced ICE. The ADUO framework outlines three distinct periods throughout the season when eligible teams may introduce upgrades.
Eligibility is determined by a performance gap of at least two percent compared with the top‑performing engine, measured over a series of benchmark laps. Wolff has suggested that Honda, which supplies Aston Martin's power unit, is the only manufacturer that truly needs the extra development aid. He placed Red Bull, Ferrari and Audi in roughly the same performance bracket as Mercedes, indicating a relatively tight competition among the front‑running teams. Mekies also provided his own estimate of the performance deficit between Mercedes and Red Bull.
He suggested that Mercedes enjoys a roughly three‑tenths of a second advantage per lap, a margin he attributes largely to the German team's superior ICE. "Mercedes are clearly ahead of most of us," he said.
"Honda appears to be the outlier, struggling more than the rest. Ferrari and Audi seem to be in a similar ballpark to us." He added that extracting comparable combustion‑engine performance across all teams is a complex task, and that the current results give the most accurate picture of where each manufacturer stands.
Red Bull's shaky start to the season has also fueled speculation about the future of four‑time world champion Max Verstappen with the team. Verstappen, who has expressed dissatisfaction with the 2026 regulations, hinted in Japan that he might 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 speed he demands and, in turn, lift his morale. "The Max we see is a fully committed Max. He wants a fast car and is helping the team to get a fast car.
He brings all his energy to that cause," Mekies said. He continued, "He is passionate about the sport. He has spoken up when he felt things needed to change. The upcoming regulation step for Miami is something he embraces.
Whether it will be enough remains to be seen, but we have time to find out." Mekies stressed that the priority is to provide Verstappen with a machine he can consistently push. He acknowledged that the first three races presented a particularly challenging car for both Verstappen and teammate Isack Hadjar, and that the team must now focus on delivering a more competitive package.
"Even if the car isn’t instantly the fastest, it must allow Max to unleash his 'Max effect' and give us a platform to develop further," Mekies explained. "I am confident that, while we may not have everything solved for Miami, the team will identify the limiting factors just as we did last year, and we will see more smiles on Max’s face as we progress." The next race weekend, featuring the Miami Grand Prix and the season's second Sprint event, is scheduled for May 1‑3 and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1. Fans can also stream the action via NOW without a long‑term contract, cancelling at any time.