Binotto urges FIA to rewrite F1 ADUO rules
NXTbets Pro | Published On: July 10, 2026
ADUO rules
Mattia Binotto is pressing the FIA to rewrite the ADUO power-unit upgrade scheme, saying the current rules can reward manufacturers that are already competitive and can misread which teams are actually chasing the front. Binotto said the system leans too heavily on V6, or ICE, performance and on track results, which can hide the real picture when a team has a stronger chassis or a better hybrid package. In that case, he said, a manufacturer may never need to run its engine at the limit, yet the power unit can still look weaker on paper and unlock extra development time. He said the rules are too narrow because they use only V6 performance to assign development chances even though ADUO upgrades cover the full power unit, including hybrid components. Binotto said the scheme was built to help manufacturers that are genuinely behind at the start of the 2026 rules cycle, and he wants the FIA to adjust it so the field converges over the full regulatory period.
Mercedes and Audi
The debate matters because the current system has already produced gains for front-running teams and new entrants alike. Audi is entering its first Formula 1 season after taking over Sauber and qualifies for ADUO upgrades. Mercedes, meanwhile, received an additional ADUO development allowance, and its engine is widely viewed as the strongest on the grid. That picture sits uneasily beside its results, because Mercedes has won seven of the first nine grands prix in the 2026 Formula 1 season. Binotto’s argument is that a process built to identify the teams in the deepest trouble can end up giving extra help to manufacturers that already have a strong package. He said he is not accusing the FIA of bad faith. His complaint is about the design of the system, not the intent behind it. In his view, the rules should support long-term performance convergence across the whole regulatory cycle, not just at the moment when the FIA applies a narrow snapshot of engine pace.
FIA assessment
The latest FIA assessment shows how the process works and why Binotto wants it changed. Mercedes received one upgrade, while Ferrari, Audi and Honda each received two after the FIA judged them to be roughly 4% behind Red Bull Ford. Red Bull Ford was used as the benchmark, and the company did not get any further development beyond the standard homologation timetable. Red Bull challenged the FIA’s ruling on that denial, but the challenge failed and reviews upheld the decision. The FIA has said the teams agreed to the current process, which uses ICE-based evaluation windows to allocate development opportunities. That is the structure Binotto is pushing against. He says ADUO should reflect the whole power unit, not just one part of it, because the hybrid system can change how the engine appears against the benchmark. He wants the FIA to widen the lens so the rules support manufacturers that are truly behind, rather than rewarding those whose broader package lets them hold back on engine performance while still looking eligible for more development.
