It took only a few hours to confirm what ScuderiaFans.com had previously revealed: the benchmark for the ADUO—the system designed by the FIA to allow engine manufacturers to close performance gaps—will not be the Mercedes engine, but rather Red Bull’s. Making the revelation was Lewis Hamilton, who explained at the conclusion of the Monaco GP that the power unit developed in partnership with Ford was identified by the FIA as the most potent on the grid. This outcome represents a significant turning point, considering that a large portion of paddock insiders had previously tipped the Mercedes power unit as the technical reference point for this new generation of engines.
“I think the news came out that Red Bull has the most powerful engine,” the Ferrari driver revealed to Sky UK. “Then there’s Mercedes, and then us, further back. So we will have tokens available to try and develop our power unit and close the gap.” In practical terms, the Red Bull Powertrains department—in its very first year as an independent manufacturer—will not be allowed to upgrade its PU, whereas Mercedes reportedly obtained ADUO concessions for a 2% deficit, giving them access to a revised homologation for both 2026 and 2027. And what about Ferrari? For the Maranello squad, the deficit appears to be in the region of 4%, which yields the opportunity to introduce two updated engine specifications as early as 2026, alongside greater resources to spend compared to their immediate rivals. “It’s still not something we can just do next week,” the Briton explained. “It will take 8 to 10 months to close the gap.”
Hamilton keeps the faith: “Chasing is easier than defending. Antonelli is extraordinary, but I can catch him”
Reflecting on his second-place finish in Monaco, Hamilton matched his best result since joining Ferrari, and he is already dreaming of securing his maiden victory with the Scuderia soon: “It’s hard to get much closer than this, even though being 66 points behind Kimi is a really big gap. I still can’t believe I’m in the championship fight; without my team, it would never have been possible. And I also want to thank Fred. Last year was very difficult for both of us. We made major decisions, and now we are starting to see the fruits of our labor.” Because of this, Lewis remains a believer: “We are still in the early stages of the championship, and I believe that in life, it is easier to chase than to defend. Right now, Mercedes is incredibly fast, but we will keep pushing. I have no doubt that sooner or later, we will catch them. Seeing a kid [Antonelli] perform at this level pushes me to want to do better and better. He is only 19 years old; just imagine what he will be able to do in the future.”
Finally, the seven-time world champion offered a closing comment regarding the penalty he received for breaching the pit lane speed limit. “I wasn’t going too fast,” Lewis insisted. “I’ve known this pit lane for years, and I engaged the limiter immediately. Rather, I think it depended on the line you take coming in, which is the same line we’ve used for years anyway. That’s why I was really surprised when they informed me of the penalty, because I was certain I wasn’t over the limit. Today it happened to many drivers who probably weren’t actually going too fast, and receiving this type of penalty can truly ruin a race. Especially on a track this short.”
In summary, Lewis Hamilton has confirmed that Ferrari faces an uphill climb under the new ADUO engine regulations, estimating an eight-to-ten-month development timeline to match the benchmark Red Bull-Ford power unit while remaining highly motivated to chase down championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
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