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Red Bull Racing expects clarity this week on whether it can introduce a power unit upgrade for Max Verstappen before the end of the season. The FIA is due to publish the results of the second measurement period under the contested Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities system, which governs who may develop their engine further. For Red Bull, the stakes are high: a new upgrade can only be deployed if the team is deemed sufficiently behind a competitor according to the regulations.
The ADUO framework regularly assesses the performance of each power unit manufacturer. The outcome determines not only who holds the performance advantage, but also which manufacturers receive additional development resources, including extra dyno time, increased spending allowances, or the right to introduce a new homologated specification. Red Bull was caught off guard earlier this year when the FIA concluded that its Red Bull Powertrains Ford unit was the benchmark during the first measurement period, rated more than two percent ahead of all rivals. The verdict denied Red Bull any extra development opportunities, a decision the team disputed and asked the FIA to review.
Red Bull's challenge to the first ruling
That review has so far not shifted the FIA's position. The second measurement window has now closed, covering the period from the Monaco Grand Prix through to the Hungarian round. The FIA must notify the affected manufacturers within a set timeframe, clarifying which teams retain the right to introduce a new homologation specification before the season ends. Red Bull's challenge to the first assessment reflects broader frustration with a system that does not measure pure lap time or race pace, but rather a composite of factors including deployment strategy and energy recovery efficiency.
What the new assessment means for Verstappen
The upcoming verdict carries significant weight for Red Bull's championship prospects. If the FIA finds that the Red Bull Powertrains Ford unit was more than two percent behind a competitor during the Monaco-to-Hungary window, the team will regain extra development rights. In that scenario, Red Bull could introduce a power unit upgrade before the final races of the year, potentially narrowing the gap to rivals who have recently shown stronger race pace on certain circuits.
If Red Bull is again designated the benchmark, or falls within two percent of Mercedes, no upgrade will be permitted. One final opportunity would remain in 2026: the third ADUO measurement period, running from the Dutch Grand Prix to the United States round. That represents the last chance for in-season development before the system resets for 2027. Red Bull's predicament illustrates the complexity of the ADUO framework, which many in the paddock regard as opaque. Mercedes is widely viewed as operating the strongest power unit on the grid, yet the ADUO calculation does not always align with that perception, since it accounts for factors beyond outright performance.
Benchmark status under scrutiny
The disconnect between perceived performance and ADUO classification continues to fuel debate. Several teams have questioned whether the system accurately reflects competitive reality, particularly when race results and GPS data suggest a different hierarchy. Red Bull's case is especially pointed: the team argues that its power unit has not been the class of the field during recent races, yet the first ADUO assessment placed it at the top. A second consecutive benchmark designation would lock Red Bull out of meaningful engine development for the remainder of the current regulatory cycle, leaving the team reliant on chassis and aerodynamic gains to close any performance deficit.
The FIA's decision this week will determine whether Red Bull can respond on the power unit side, or whether the team must wait until 2026 for another chance. For Verstappen and the Milton Keynes squad, the outcome may prove decisive in shaping the closing phase of the season and the competitive order heading into the final year before the next generation of power unit regulations arrives.
Dutch Grand Prix
I. Hadjar
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