The driver from Maranello anticipated the FIA report on the power of the engines. Being that of the Red Bulls at the top, it cannot be improved. Also putting Verstappen’s permanence in doubt
Credit or blame must be given to Lewis Hamilton. In Monaco, his statement to Sky UK was a spoiler: “I think yesterday or today the news arrived that Red Bull has the most powerful engine, followed by Mercedes. And then there’s us at Ferrari, further back. So now we have these tokens available to try to develop the engine and fill the gap.” In practice: the FIA should finally publish its report on the power of the new 2026 engines. And surprise: the Mercedes engine would not be the reference to follow. So much so that it would have the right to develop its own engine in 2026 and also in 2027. A nice advantage for Kimi Antonelli (and George Russell, obviously) and in any case for a car that is already going more than fast. The one who could pay the price, however, is Red Bull. The Austrian team is considered the most powerful in the report. And this not only raises questions about the future of the car, but opens up questions about Max Verstappen’s position.
aduo
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It is the Aduo, the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities. A kind of judge designed to rebalance the level of the engines after an examination of their power, with presumed differences in power and with the less fortunate who can hope to obtain additional development possibilities. That is to say: working on the power unit to improve it with updates and extra hours of work. The team highlighted the unknown nature of these data. “Because the Federation continues to work in the shadows, without transparency,” wrote the French newspaper. This report was drawn up by the FIA and the teams to avoid situations like that of 2014, when Mercedes crushed Formula 1 thanks to an engine superior to the others. But as always in this sport, ingenuity and the ability to manage situations on the fly are as essential as the drivers and the cars. During the first tests in Bahrain last winter, everyone noticed that the Red Bull engine had a lot of power on the straight. And Toto Wolff, as shrewd as a weasel, had insisted on this detail. The Aduo, according to experts, is calculated only on the power of the combustion engine and not on everything around it. And later, when it began to be understood that the Ferrari engine (however late) could benefit from this advantage, Wolff returned to the charge.
regulation
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The regulation allows engines that are 2% behind to develop a new engine in 2026 and a second in 2027. And those that are more than 4% behind to do two per season. Put into today’s reality, these numbers basically say that Mercedes, 2% behind Red Bull, would have the possibility of development. A small, great paradox. The Silver Arrows already have six victories in six races, and five of these are from Kimi Antonelli. Again according to the spoiler by Hamilton, Ferrari would instead have a delay of 4% (therefore intervention in 2026 and 2027). Audi would be in the 4 to 6% delay range, while Honda would be in the 8-10% range. Little or much, these percentages risk upsetting balances and situations. Especially for the Austrian manufacturer. Because, since Red Bull is the reference, it will not have the right to do anything next year regarding the performances. While Mercedes could still rework an already almost perfect car. And obviously all this also applies to McLaren, which has the same engines as the world championship leaders. The issue is not only linked to the Constructors’ title (which still counts), there is also the issue of drivers. What will Verstappen do on a Red Bull like this? Mercedes has been courting him for years. Failure to develop could open up new scenarios.
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