Alpine Club flags Haas, Audi engine upgrades

The FIA published details on May 13 of a new Formula 1 mechanism that could allow some 2026 power-unit manufacturers to upgrade a homologated engine during the season or the following one. The system is called Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities, or ADUO, and it is built into the 2026 Technical Regulations. The governing body said the measure is intended to encourage close competition under the new engine rules. A social-media post cited by fans on May 18 linked the discussion to possible beneficiaries including Audi and Ferrari-powered teams, but the FIA’s published explanation does not name any manufacturer as currently eligible. ### What exactly did the FIA change on May 13? The FIA said on May 13 that ADUO will let a power-unit manufacturer upgrade a homologated power unit “during a season or the subsequent one” if it meets defined criteria. The mechanism applies across review periods in each full season from 2026 through 2030, according to the federation’s published explanation. (fia.com) Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA’s single-seater director, said in the same publication that ADUO is “not a kind of balance of performance mechanism” and described it instead as a cost-cap relief tool. The FIA said the benefit is a downward adjustment under the financial regulations, giving an eligible manufacturer more room to develop within the rules. (fia.com) ### Which part of the engine package does ADUO actually measure? The FIA said the assessment focuses only on the internal-combustion engine, not the full power unit. The federation said it will monitor the ICE performance of units supplied to customer teams and calculate an ICE Performance Index using factors including input shaft torque, engine speed, MGU-K power and lap-time sensitivity weighting. (fia.com) The same FIA explanation said no correction methodology would be applied for variables captured in on-car measurements, including fluid temperatures and external aerodynamics. The federation also said the ADUO test is not representative of full power-unit performance because the energy-recovery system remains a major part of total output. (fia.com) ### What is the threshold for an upgrade opportunity? The FIA said a manufacturer qualifies for ADUO if its ICE lags the best-performing ICE by at least 2% during a review period. That 2% figure is the clearest public threshold in the federation’s explanation of the rule. The FIA did not, in the material reviewed, publish a list of manufacturers that have met that threshold. (fia.com) That means claims on social media about Haas, Ferrari-powered entries or Audi being in line for upgrades remain unverified by the governing body’s public documents as of May 18. ### Where do Haas and Audi fit into the 2026 engine map? (fia.com) Audi is entering Formula 1 in 2026 as a works team with its own power unit after taking over Sauber’s entry, according to Formula 1’s official team profile and Audi-related coverage on Formula1.com. That makes Audi one of the manufacturers directly covered by the 2026 power-unit framework. Haas is not a power-unit manufacturer. Haas runs Ferrari power and would be affected only through Ferrari’s engine program if Ferrari were to qualify for any ADUO-related relief under the FIA rules. (fia.com) The FIA’s sporting regulations distinguish between manufacturers and their nominated works competitors, while Formula 1’s official materials identify Ferrari as one of the registered 2026 power-unit suppliers. (formula1.com) ### Why are teams talking about Barcelona and 2027 at the same time? The FIA said on May 8 that team principals, Formula 1 Management and representatives of the sport’s five power-unit manufacturers had agreed in principle to further evolutionary changes to the 2026 regulations after a review of measures introduced at the Miami Grand Prix. The federation said more evaluation was continuing for future events, including start-safety revisions and wet-condition measures. (fia.com) The same May 8 statement said the 2027 package under discussion could include a nominal increase in ICE power of about 50kW, a fuel-flow increase and a nominal reduction in ERS deployment power of about 50kW. The FIA said the next step would be to refine the package for a World Motor Sport Council e-vote after power-unit manufacturers vote on it. (fia.com) ### What should readers treat as confirmed now? The FIA has confirmed that ADUO exists, that the eligibility test is tied to a 2% ICE-performance deficit, and that the rule can permit upgrades to a homologated power unit from 2026 onward. The federation has also confirmed that Audi is part of the 2026 power-unit field and that Ferrari is a registered supplier, while Haas is a Ferrari-powered team rather than a manufacturer. (fia.com) May 18 social-media discussion about specific beneficiaries has not been matched by a public FIA list naming eligible manufacturers in the sources reviewed. The next formal marker is the FIA’s continuing regulatory process on 2026 and 2027 power-unit rules, including manufacturer discussions and a possible World Motor Sport Council e-vote once proposals are finalized. (fia.com 1) (fia.com 2)