Audi secretly ran ADUO engine upgrade in Barcelona
Audi quietly introduced its first ADUO power unit upgrade at the Spanish GP without public notice, as Ferrari and Mercedes prepare their own updates for Austria.
Audi has quietly become the first Formula 1 manufacturer to deploy an upgraded power unit under the FIA's controversial ADUO engine development system.
While Ferrari has now confirmed its upgrade for this weekend's Austrian GP, Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reports Audi actually introduced its first revised engine specification in Barcelona without announcing it publicly.
The changes reportedly focused more on drivability than outright power, addressing issues including throttle response linked to the original engine's relatively large turbocharger.
The timing is notable because was still publicly questioning the FIA's ADUO assessment during the Barcelona weekend, with team boss Laurent Mekies insisting the data did not support the conclusion that Red Bull-Ford had the strongest internal combustion engine.
However, the FIA approved the first round of upgrades, allowing rival manufacturers to begin introducing revised hardware according to their allocated development opportunities.
Ferrari and Mercedes respond
Ferrari is now officially following suit in Austria.
Power unit chief Enrico Gualtieri confirmed an updated specification will debut at Spielberg.
"The update we are introducing at Spielberg is relatively modest and reflects the work carried out in recent weeks to transfer the progress achieved in our development programmes onto the track," he said.
He cautioned against expecting an immediate turnaround.
"This is a limited update and, by itself, it will not be enough to change the competitive order," Gualtieri admitted.
"Performance is built over time through many small steps."
Mercedes is also bringing updates to Austria after seeing its early-season advantage disappear in Barcelona, where Ferrari scored its breakthrough victory.
"Barcelona acted as a benchmark for our current performance and, having won the first six races, offered a reality check," team boss Toto Wolff said.
"Others have gained ground quickly and we need to respond."
Wolff added that Mercedes' package is aimed at "improving both performance and reliability", admitting: "Our Achilles heel so far has been reliability."
2026 ADUO engine system, key facts
| System | ADUO, FIA 2026 engine development framework |
|---|---|
| First to upgrade | Audi (Barcelona, undisclosed) |
| Ferrari upgrade | Confirmed for 2026 Austrian GP |
| Mercedes focus | Performance and reliability (Austria) |
| Wolff on reliability | "Our Achilles heel so far" |
See also: 2026 F1 calendar on F1-Fansite.
Related: Audi demo run fuels speculation of ADUO engine upgrade at Neuburg
One F1 fan comment on “Audi secretly ran ADUO engine upgrade in Barcelona”
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While they didn’t announce this beforehand, FIA’s pre-event revelation had apparently noted their upgrade, meaning that people simply misinterpreted it or otherwise failed to realize it.