Audi surprised everyone in Barcelona
Audi has already used the first of the two ADUO development tokens available for this season after the FIA informally informed teams of its power unit evaluations during the Monaco Grand Prix weekend. The revelation comes from Motorsport.com, where Roberto Chinchero explained how the team led by Mattia Binotto already had its first power unit upgrade ready and introduced it in Barcelona without almost anyone noticing.
During the Spanish Grand Prix weekend at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, both Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto replaced their internal combustion engines and turbochargers. Hulkenberg’s race later ended dramatically when a small stone struck the fire extinguisher system, triggering a safety protection procedure that shut down the entire power unit and forced his retirement.
Very few observers, however, realised that Audi already had its first ADUO-based upgrade ready and was therefore in a position to introduce the revised power unit at the earliest available opportunity. According to Roberto Chinchero, the update was designed primarily to improve drivability rather than deliver a major increase in outright performance. Nevertheless, the benefits appeared to be immediate.
In Barcelona, Nico Hulkenberg reached Q3 for the first time this season, while also running comfortably inside the points before his unfortunate retirement. Although the performance gain may not have been dramatic in terms of pure horsepower, the overall behaviour of the car seemed to improve enough to deliver a noticeable step forward in competitiveness.
ADUO, a positive signal for Ferrari
Beyond highlighting the efficiency and preparedness of Audi’s Formula 1 engine department, the news is also particularly relevant for Ferrari. It has already been reported on several occasions that the Scuderia intends to introduce its first upgraded power unit using one of the two ADUO development tokens available under the current regulations.
Ferrari is believed to be operating with a power deficit of around 4% compared to the benchmark power unit. As a result, the Italian team is entitled to use two development opportunities this season, with an additional two tokens available ahead of the 2027 campaign.
The expectation has been that Ferrari would debut its first ADUO-upgraded power unit during the Austrian Grand Prix weekend. However, the team has been waiting for FIA approval, as the governing body has not yet completed the formal recalculation process requested by Red Bull regarding the current engine performance evaluations.
At this point, it seems clear that if Audi has already been able to introduce its revised power unit, there should be no reason for Ferrari not to receive the green light from the FIA as well. The fact that one manufacturer has already taken advantage of the ADUO framework suggests that the pathway for homologating and introducing these upgrades is now effectively open.
According to current estimates, Ferrari’s upgraded power unit should deliver approximately five additional horsepower. A further gain of between two and three horsepower is expected to come from the new Shell fuel specification that has already been homologated for competition use.
While those figures may appear modest at first glance, even small increases in power can make a meaningful difference in modern Formula 1, especially on circuits where straight-line speed plays a crucial role. For this reason, Ferrari views the Austrian Grand Prix as an ideal venue to introduce the updated package and evaluate its effectiveness under race conditions.
Should the FIA approval arrive in time, the Austrian Grand Prix could therefore mark an important milestone in Ferrari’s development programme, potentially providing the Scuderia with another valuable tool in its effort to reduce the gap to its closest rivals during the remainder of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
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