Nikolas Tombazis wanted to calm the speculations around the ADUO system, explaining that this mechanism is neither a miracle solution nor an artificial performance balancing system.
The ADUOs — for Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities — allow the five engine manufacturers engaged in Formula 1 to benefit from additional development opportunities if their power unit is deemed significantly behind the best engine on the grid.
Even though the FIA does not officially publish the collected data, the performance of thermal engines is analyzed at each Grand Prix. A manufacturer can obtain ADUOs if their engine shows a deficit of at least 2% compared to the current reference.
Honda lagging behind
Before the start of the season, the 24-race calendar was divided into four blocks of six events to define clear checkpoints to evaluate the performance of the different engine manufacturers.
The first checkpoint was initially supposed to take place after the Miami Grand Prix, the sixth round scheduled in the championship. But the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grands Prix changed this schedule. Following a meeting of the FIA World Council before Miami, the criteria were adjusted and the first ADUO evaluation point will now take place after the Canadian Grand Prix, the fifth round of the championship.
At this stage, the Honda engine is currently lagging behind the reference. But discussions also exist around Ferrari, Red Bull Powertrains, and Audi to determine if they could also benefit from additional development opportunities.
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Development à la carte
Faced with concerns from some competitors, Tombazis nevertheless insisted that ADUOs will not instantly change the engine hierarchy: “It is important to specify that ADUOs are not a performance balancing mechanism. A team or manufacturer will not suddenly receive a higher fuel flow or less ballast.”
The FIA technical director reminds that the system aims only to offer more development flexibility to struggling engine manufacturers, while remaining strictly regulated by the technical regulations. In other words, even with ADUOs, a manufacturer will still have to design the best possible engine to hope to win.
The FIA thus seeks to avoid a lagging engine manufacturer being stuck for several years under a very locked regulation, without creating an artificial compensation system comparable to those used in other motorsport disciplines.
Financial flexibility
“It is actually a mechanism linked to the budget cap relief,” explains the Greek engineer. “When an engine manufacturer meets the ADUO criteria during an evaluation period, they get an additional opportunity to develop their engine thanks to a favorable regulatory adjustment.”
“That does not mean, however, that just benefiting from it is enough to win,” he concludes. “A manufacturer will always have to produce the best possible engine to hope to prevail. It is not a miracle solution, nor a system where the FIA hands out free advantages to those who are behind. It simply offers more development margin for the power unit within the framework defined by the technical regulations.”
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