F1 and the FIA have agreed further mechanisms to help struggling power unit manufacturers address issues under the 2026 regulations.
Next year will see the introduction of a complex new power unit that increases the influence of the battery and hybrid system, which will see the entry of Audi and the return of Honda, which previously decided to exit the sport. Ford will also partner with Red Bull Powertrain, while Cadillac plans to develop its own power unit for 2029, but new regulations could widen initial performance.
A meeting of the World Motor Sport Council approved changes to the financial and operating rules for power units between the FIA, F1, teams and manufacturers to prevent engines from being locked into a particularly uncompetitive state.
“The most important of these changes relates to the ADUO concept (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities), which aims to offer greater development opportunities to PU manufacturers that lag far behind their competitors in terms of performance,” the FIA announced.
“Performance will be continuously measured across all power units and after races 6, 12 and 18, an ADUO may be assigned to deal with such situations and will provide:
- Additional possibility to change the certification of the power unit
- Additional cost cap relief
- Additional development time on PU testbench
In addition to keeping these options open for performance reasons, the World Motor Sport Council also approved measures to ease the cost cap “for PU manufacturers who may face serious reliability issues that could be seriously compromised under the cost cap.”
All changes were approved at a time when the FIA’s part of the Concorde Agreement was still in the works and both the FIA and F1 were speaking positively about cooperation aimed at improving the sport in the future.
FIA President Mohamed Ben Sulayem said: “By continuing to have positive discussions with FOM and the teams towards a new agreement, we have the opportunity to make history together.”
“Through our close collaboration, we can deliver a future where the Championship continues to grow and attract an ever-increasing number of fans around the world, and where the FIA strengthens its role as regulator. Our priorities are to continually improve the safety of all single-seater series, support the path of young drivers and ultimately see the sport we love grow.”
“I would like to thank Stefano Domenicali and his team and the representatives of each party for working towards the conclusion.”
Domenicali himself echoed Ben Sulayem’s comments, saying the two countries would work more cooperatively during 2025.
“I would like to thank the FIA, the volunteers and the ASN (National Governing Bodies) for their dedication and hard work,” said Domenicali. “This is a great moment and our two roles are clearly committed to a strong future. We have built good momentum over the past few months and made significant progress in ensuring sound governance for the sustainability and well-being of the sport.”
