Red Bull barred from engine upgrades after FIA benchmark ruling

Red Bull Powertrains has been classified as the benchmark engine manufacturer under the FIA’s Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) system. Because the FIA’s assessment identifies Red Bull as having the strongest Internal Combustion Engine (ICE), the team is currently prohibited from implementing any power unit upgrades.

Under the ADUO framework, manufacturers trailing the benchmark are granted additional upgrade opportunities to encourage competition. Mercedes is permitted one extra upgrade, being 2-4% behind Red Bull, while Ferrari, Honda, and Audi are allowed two upgrades each, as they are more than 4% behind.

Critics and Red Bull have pointed out a potential flaw in the ADUO system: it measures performance based solely on the ICE via the FIA’s ICE Performance Index, ignoring the Energy Recovery System (ERS). This creates a discrepancy, as the 2026 power units rely on a roughly 50/50 split between combustion and electric power. While Red Bull is locked out of ICE upgrades, competitors can still modify their ERS packages, turbochargers, and cooling systems.

In response to the findings, Red Bull has utilized social media to make playful references to their status as the benchmark engine provider alongside their energy drink business.