The FIA’s initial assessment of the so-called Additional Development and Update Opportunities (ADUO) brought an unexpected result for Red Bull, which was flagged as the benchmark for internal combustion engine performance, a situation that prevents any immediate evolution of the power unit.
The results of the analysis were presented to the teams during the Monaco Grand Prix weekend. As defined previously by the FIA, the evaluation considered exclusively the performance of the internal combustion engine (ICE), without including the electrical components of the power unit.
Before the data was released, the general expectation was that Mercedes would hold the reference position, especially given the dominance shown by the German team throughout the current season. However, the assessment indicated a different scenario: Red Bull Ford Powertrains was deemed the manufacturer with the strongest ICE on the grid.
Although the result represents an important technical achievement for Red Bull Ford, according to GPBlog, the decision was not received completely positively within the team, which chose not to comment officially on the matter.
The possibility of contestation also appears limited. According to information obtained by the same portal, the results of the evaluation cannot be formally challenged, even though the Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies stated that the numbers are not yet official.
Although the FIA has not yet officially published the evaluation, the expectation is that no significant changes will occur to the presented results. Thus, until a new analysis is carried out, Red Bull should monitor the development of rival engines without being able to push updates to its own power unit.
