(Motorsport-Total.com) – The Canadian Grand Prix was the last race that counts for the first ADUO evaluation period of the FIA. The world governing body had originally planned to use four blocks with six race weekends each, but adjusted the schedule after the cancellation of the two Grands Prix in the Middle East in April.
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Any manufacturer that is between two and four percent behind the best combustion engine in the field receives an additional upgrade for the current season and one for the following season in ADUO. In addition, its development budget increases by three million US dollars.
If the deficit is more than four percent, the number of allowed upgrades rises to two per season, and the additional budget frame grows to 4.65 million dollars.
Even before the actual decision of the FIA, the political game in the paddock is already in full swing. Toto Wolff argued that ADUO must not become an “overtaking mechanism” and that only one manufacturer (Honda) needs additional upgrade opportunities.
Charles Leclerc later added that Ferrari is even behind Red Bull-Ford in terms of pure combustion engine performance. These statements show that all teams are trying to portray themselves as underdogs and have caused some raised eyebrows within the FIA, as their ADUO decisions are based solely on data and public statements play no role.
When Laurent Mekies was asked at the team principals’ press conference in Canada on Friday how closely he had followed the comments around the Red Bull power unit and ADUO, the team principal laughed: “So now you want us to get involved in this game?”
“No, seriously: As we see it, I can only tell you how we assess the ranking. Do with it what you want,” said Mekies, who initially emphasized that it is already a success that Red Bull-Ford is competitive at all as a newcomer.
“We believe that the people at Red Bull-Ford Powertrains have done an extraordinary job putting us in a position where we can keep up – starting from an empty field that was behind the Red Bull Racing factory a few years ago. That was simply phenomenal.”
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Red Bull in a group with Ferrari and Audi?
Nevertheless, Mekies does not see his own combustion engine at the top of the ranking: “Then you look at the gap to the best competition. And currently we believe that Mercedes is ahead with the power unit. That concerns eight cars, so the difference is very significant.”
“We believe that behind that follows a group in which we see ourselves, Ferrari, and Audi. Don’t ask me for concrete numbers, that would only open tactical play, but we definitely see a consistent gap to the Mercedes-Benz cars.”
Red Bull assumes that the gap to Mercedes is more than two percent, which would mean that the entire group mentioned by Mekies would be eligible for ADUO. However, the actual difference and its consequences must be determined by the FIA.
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Ford Performance Director Mark Rushbrook hinted that the picture based on Red Bull data also depends on the conditions. He called on the FIA to take this into account, but single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis explained that the procedure was deliberately kept as simple as possible after discussions with all teams and manufacturers.
Only the data will be looked at, without applying a so-called “correction methodology,” said Tombazis. Finally, Mekies agrees with Wolff that Honda has the greatest need for concessions, even though the Japanese manufacturer did not want to comment on Thursday.
The FIA has announced that it will provide clarity no later than two weeks after the Canadian Grand Prix. A decision should therefore be made before the start of the European season in Monaco.