Lewis Hamilton has joined the growing chorus of surprise in the F1 paddock after the FIA's initial ADUO assessment of the 2026 power-unit landscape ranked Red Bull as the sport's benchmark engine manufacturer.
The FIA's Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities review ranked the manufacturers in the order of Red Bull, Mercedes, Ferrari, Audi and Honda.
The assessment carries significant consequences because the leading manufacturer is restricted from pursuing further development opportunities, while rivals lower in the classification can continue to make improvements.
The outcome has already sparked discussions between Red Bull and the FIA, with the Milton Keynes-based operation questioning the findings as the governing body reviews the situation.
For Hamilton, however, the biggest shock was not simply seeing Red Bull at the top – it was seeing the newcomer emerge ahead of established power-unit giants.
"It is definitely a surprise, because the Red Bull and Mercedes engines are very, very close," Hamilton told reporters in Barcelona.
The surprise was proportional to the scale of the challenge Red Bull Powertrains and its partner Ford faced.
Unlike Mercedes, Ferrari and Honda, Red Bull entered the 2026 regulations as a new power-unit manufacturer. Building a competitive Formula 1 engine programme from the ground up was widely regarded as one of the most ambitious projects undertaken in modern grand prix racing.
©Red Bull
Yet the FIA's assessment suggests Red Bull may have achieved exactly that.
"Red Bull has done an amazing job with their engine, but so has Mercedes, and I heard there was someone who went from Mercedes to Red Bull," Hamilton said.
"They've done something that no one thought they'd do in such a short space of time as a new engine manufacturer, and fair play to them."
Even so, Hamilton stopped short of declaring a clear winner in the engine battle. From what he understands, the margins remain incredibly tight.
"Mercedes still has a good engine, maybe as good, but it is very, very close between them.”
The Briton’s comments reinforce the sense that the FIA's ranking has surprised many not because Red Bull has produced a strong engine, but because the difference between the frontrunners appears so marginal.
While the debate over engine performance continues to dominate conversations, Hamilton believes Ferrari's current deficit to Mercedes has little to do with power units.
The Briton arrives at that conclusion after watching Mercedes' recent progress firsthand, particularly during his own battle with championship leader Kimi Antonelli.
"I've not really spoken to them on the analysis, but I think it is just pure downforce,” Hamilton said.
The comparison has become increasingly difficult for Ferrari to ignore.
"In Miami, we brought an upgrade package which the team went pretty hard to bring, and Mercedes didn't bring an upgrade package, and they won easily,” he added.
Mercedes then introduced a significant update package of its own, but Hamilton believes the nature of the next circuit disguised its full impact.
"Then they brought a big upgrade package of four-tenths, half-a-second whatever it was, to Montreal, and that being a slow speed circuit, I guess you didn't see, necessarily, too much of it."
The difference became impossible to miss in Monaco.
Following another strong result, Hamilton found himself with a front-row view of what Mercedes' latest developments were delivering, particularly through the hands of Antonelli.
"But then we got to Monaco, and I could see when [Kimi Antonelli] was ahead of me just how much earlier he could get onto the power, how much more rear-end he had through the corners, and I couldn't keep up, and that's just downforce,” commented Hamilton.
As Formula 1 continues to dissect the FIA's surprising engine rankings, Hamilton's assessment reflects a broader mood throughout the paddock. Red Bull's emergence at the top of the list has caught many off guard.
Whether the FIA's evaluation ultimately stands or changes following further review, one thing is already clear: a project many doubted could challenge the established manufacturers so quickly has succeeded in doing exactly that – and it has left some of the sport's biggest names genuinely surprised.
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