The Mercedes driver analyzes potential regulatory developments: Ferrari could be ready to recover on the engine front thanks to the ADUO.
The 2026 Formula 1 season has outlined an initial technical hierarchy, but the picture is far from settled. While Mercedes power unit superiority has emerged in the early rounds, the regulations leave room for recovery—especially for teams like Ferrari, which have shown a gap on the engine side. Within this context comes the topic of the ADUO, a regulatory tool that could have a significant impact on development capabilities and potentially reshuffle the competitive order over the course of the season.
This was highlighted by Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who spoke in an exclusive interview with Mara Sangiorgio for Sky Sport F1. The Italian driver, while maintaining a cautious tone, openly acknowledged the potential impact of the mechanism granted to the Scuderia from Maranello.
Ferrari and ADUO: a comeback is possible
“I know there will be big changes,” said Kimi Antonelli, “also the ADUO that has been granted to Ferrari, for example, which will allow them to develop the engine. They will definitely get much closer, because their car is already fast, and if they manage to improve the engine as well, they will close the gap even further.”
“However, I’m not too worried. At the end of the day, once I’m on track, I’ll focus on doing what I’ve done in the past weekends—trying to go as fast as possible, focusing on myself and on what I have to do, on the objectives set for each race weekend.”
“Then I’m sure we will also bring quite significant updates. The car is already strong and there’s a good dynamic within the team, so I’m not too concerned, but I’m aware that the other teams will catch up sooner or later,” explained the Bologna-born driver.
The words of the young Mercedes talent provide a clear technical picture: Ferrari already has a competitive chassis and aerodynamic platform, and any recovery on the engine side—made possible by the ADUO—could significantly reduce the current gap. In other words, the deficit does not appear structural, but rather contingent, and therefore potentially solvable over the course of the season. Genuine assessment or tactical messaging?
Mercedes between caution and mind games
Within Mercedes, however, the message appears twofold. On one hand, there is a sense of relative calm, stemming from an already competitive car, a power unit in top form, and a solid technical structure. On the other, Antonelli’s comments hint at a more subtle communication strategy: lowering expectations, acknowledging rivals’ potential, and preparing for a more competitive second half of the season.
Adding further complexity is another regulatory element: from June 1, the parameters for measuring the compression ratio of power units will change. This adjustment could have a non-negligible impact on efficiency and overall engine performance, particularly for those developed at Brixworth.
It is precisely within this interplay between development enabled by the ADUO and evolving regulations that a significant part of the season will be decided. Ferrari sees a real opportunity to reduce the gap, while Mercedes continues to monitor the situation, aware that its current advantage may not be enough to guarantee long-term dominance.
