FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis has admitted that Formula 1’s Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) system will need to be tweaked in the coming years, despite insisting that its measurements are accurate.
The ADUO system was introduced at the start of the 2026 season. The FIA periodically reviews each manufacturer’s internal combustion engine (ICE) performance and, if the ICE is found to be 2% or more behind the best performing engine on the grid, the manufacturer in question is granted ADUO, allowing them to make upgrades depending on their performance result.
The system has proved to be one of the most controversial aspects of the 2026 season so far. Notably, the assessment method only takes into account the ICE, and not the Energy Recovery System, which also plays a crucial role in power output. There were also suggestions in the paddock that some manufacturers – including Ferrari and Mercedes – sandbagged their way through the opening race weekends in order to secure ADUO.
Indeed, it came as a shock when Red Bull’s power unit was ranked the top-performing above both of those manufacturers. Red Bull Powertrains currently holds the benchmark position against which other suppliers are judged, which raises the concern that these other suppliers could theoretically benefit from ADUO by ensuring Red Bull remains at the top.
Tombazis: F1 ADUO system is accurate, but needs improvements
Tombazis has previously suggested he was open to tweaking the parameters for the ADUO system, but there was pushback from the teams and manufacturers, who wanted to keep the system as simple as possible.
He told Motorsport.com: “Well, in F1 it seems that almost everything is quite sensitive. So it’s very rare that you get 11 teams and five or six PU manufacturers saying, ‘Fantastic, we all agree’.
“The only thing I think that everybody agrees on is that the August shutdown is a good thing, and I have to remind you that it was my idea.
“But that’s the only thing that everybody agrees on. I think everything else [is difficult]. And even that took time for everybody to agree on. You know, when Franz Tost [former AlphaTauri boss] was still in place, he didn’t want it.”
After having been rated top of the performance rankings, Red Bull requested a factual verification of the results – but Tombazis insists the FIA’s measurements have proven to be accurate. These results haven’t yet been publicly revealed.
“Everything is quite sensitive because everyone is so competitive and so focused on their relative position compared to the others,” said Tombazis. “So yes, it has been quite a challenge.”
“I think our measurement, in my opinion, has proven to be very accurate.
“With that said, has everything worked fine? No, because obviously people are not happy and so on. Do we need to think about improvements in the future? Yes, I would say so.”
Tombazis: F1 ADUO system “weaknesses” will be addressed
It has been raised that, in theory, manufacturers who have been awarded ADUO could retain their tokens instead of using them, and keep Red Bull as the benchmark for longer. This would stop Red Bull from being able to use the system.
Tombazis, however, doesn’t think F1 teams would play the game: “Well, I don’t think it would be convenient for you to always be below [your maximum power] just to keep getting more opportunities, because then what’s the point of opportunities if it isn’t ultimately for you to be on top?”
The Greek did admit, though, that the system will need to be tweaked for the coming years: “I think the system is working as it was designed, but I do think there are some weaknesses that we need to address in the future.
“Also to make it less time-consuming and less controversial, we do need to make some steps to improve it in the future.”
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