Kimi Antonelli reveals Ferrari’s engine boost: “With ADUO they will close the gap”. Andrea Kimi Antonelli reveals that Ferrari will soon receive the ADUO upgrade.

Ferrari prepares for the ‘new’ power unit

After the Japanese Grand Prix, both Frederic Vasseur and Charles Leclerc highlighted that, in many ways, the season will feel like a new championship starting in Miami. Cars will undergo significant changes during the month-long break for updates. However, the one factor that still separates Mercedes from Ferrari—the power unit—won’t change immediately.

In an interview with Sky, Italian driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli revealed that this temporary standstill on power units won’t last long. The upcoming ADUO system will allow manufacturers who are behind in performance to catch up with the reference engine on the grid.

According to regulations, the ‘checkpoint’ for ADUO is usually scheduled after the first six races. In 2026, it comes after four races due to the cancellations of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grands Prix. Kimi Antonelli confirmed that Ferrari—and consequently other manufacturers—have already received approval to use ADUO.

What Antonelli said

“I know there will be major changes,” Kimi Antonelli said. “For example, Ferrari has been granted the ADUO, which will allow them to develop the engine. They’ll get much closer, because their car is already fast, and if they manage to improve the power unit, the gap will shrink even more. But I’m not too worried. Once I’m on track, I’ll focus on doing what I’ve done in previous weekends—driving as fast as possible, concentrating on myself and on the objectives set for each weekend. I’m sure we’ll also bring significant updates: the car is already fast, and the team dynamics are strong, so I’m not too concerned, but I’m aware that the other teams will catch up sooner or later.” – the Mercedes driver concluded.

The introduction of ADUO-driven updates therefore marks a crucial moment in the 2026 technical cycle. By allowing teams like Ferrari to close the performance gap, the FIA aims to ensure the championship remains a multi-team fight rather than a single-engine dominance. Whether Ferrari can maximize this development window to challenge Antonelli’s supremacy remains the biggest question heading into the summer months.