Speculation continues over how much horsepower Mercedes holds over Ferrari, with the German team reportedly using a clever trick to prevent the Scuderia from accessing the ADUO and making adjustments to their power unit. Here’s the full breakdown.
Ferrari believes it can close the engine gap to Mercedes, but not without the help of the ADUO. Hot checks on compression ratios introduced on June 1 are not expected to drastically change the current situation. The SF-26 has a chassis and aerodynamics that are slightly superior to the W17, but this advantage isn’t enough if it loses half a second on the straights. At Maranello, work is underway on an entirely new thermal architecture for the engine, expected to debut in 2027. However, there is a desire to introduce it as early as races 12 or 13 this season if the opportunity arises. Meanwhile, new details have emerged on the trick Mercedes may be using to prevent Ferrari from fully exploiting the ADUO.
Hard to fool the FIA, Ferrari still has at least 15 hp to recover
Under the ADUO rules, a manufacturer can use more development opportunities if it falls within the prescribed ranges in the regulations. If the difference from the reference value is between 2% and 4%, one upgrade is allowed by the end of the year, with a second in 2027. If the difference is 4% or more, two upgrades are allowed this year and two in 2027. Being in this category would equate to roughly 20 horsepower less.
The FIA carries out its measurements using proprietary calculation tools and has not made public the methods it uses to analyse power unit performance. According to Rosario Giuliana at TheRace.com, Ferrari believes Mercedes may be deliberately not showing the full potential of their engine to keep the gap below 2% and prevent Maranello from utilizing the ADUO. Similarly, Audi, Red Bull Powertrains, and Honda will also have the opportunity to develop their engines. The regulations are designed to prevent falsifying data, as the FIA can revoke development slots at its discretion and verify values in factories via simulations on the manufacturers’ test benches.
The Scuderia estimates it could achieve improvements around 2–4%, given that current figures suggest Ferrari’s engine is at least 15 horsepower down compared to Mercedes. It’s also possible that Mercedes is carefully managing its power unit, balancing peak power usage with reliability concerns. The W17 can maintain higher top speeds for longer without encountering severe clipping, benefiting from exceptional energy efficiency. For now, it seems unlikely that Ferrari will reach the 4% threshold, a target that Red Bull Powertrains, Audi, and Honda could achieve under current conditions.
The 2026 engine regulations have therefore turned the pit wall into a chessboard where showing too much speed can be a tactical error. Ferrari’s challenge is to find performance while proving they are “slow” enough to deserve help—a paradoxical situation that defines the current state of Formula 1 technology. Whether the FIA’s dyno checks will reveal the true extent of the Mercedes advantage remains to be seen, but for the Tifosi, the hope remains that the SF-26 will soon have the raw power to match its brilliant handling.
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