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Audi Urges FIA to Revise ADUO Rules Amid Exploitation Fears
Audi F1 boss Mattia Binotto has raised concerns over current ADUO upgrade rules, asking the FIA for changes after Mercedes secured ample upgrade opportunities and dominated.
By Sanne Vermeer - 2026-07-10T08:23:01.000Z - 1 min read
Audi Formule 1 director Mattia Binotto has urged the FIA to review the ADUO upgrade regulations. He sees potential for teams to exploit the rules, which could undermine competitive fairness.
At the core of Binotto's objections is the fact that certain engine manufacturers, such as Mercedes, were granted scope for additional power unit upgrades. Audi believes this could potentially create an unfair advantage, warranting adjustments.
The criticism does not come out of nowhere. The Mercedes engine is widely regarded as the most powerful power unit of 2026, proving its dominance by winning no fewer than seven of the first nine Grands Prix.
A major sticking point appears to be the methodology of the ADUO scheme itself. The current framework only measures the output of the V6 engine, which Binotto argues is insufficient to provide a complete and balanced picture of overall power unit performance.