Audi to ‘significantly benefit’ from ADUO, but in the long-term

Audi’s Formula 1 project has received a crucial boost in its battle to close the gap to the sport’s established powerhouses, with team boss Mattia Binotto confident the German manufacturer will “benefit significantly” from the FIA’s additional power unit development allowance.

The new opportunity comes through the governing body’s ADUO (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities) assessment, which identifies manufacturers considered to be behind the benchmark in internal combustion engine performance and grants them extra freedom to improve.

Audi has been handed the maximum allowance of two additional upgrades this season, along with further opportunities in 2027.

But while the move gives the newcomer valuable breathing room, Binotto insists the real gains will come through a carefully planned development programme rather than a quick fix.

“For Audi it will be a significant benefit,” Binotto said, quoted by RACER. “I think it's what we were expecting.

“Since the very start of the season, we knew that most of our gap to the top teams was on the power unit side. Not a surprise to us. Hard work will be required. We've got plans, but it will be beneficial, but not in the short term.

Audi refuses to chase instant fixes

The former Ferrari team principal made it clear that ADUO should not be viewed as a shortcut to immediate performance gains. Instead, Audi is using the additional resources to build a stronger foundation for the years ahead.

Binotto explained that the project requires patience, with the team targeting sustained progress rather than a single dramatic upgrade.

“Often maybe people may believe that once you've got ADUO, maybe the race after you may introduce 10 kilowatts

“That's not what will happen. In our case, we are looking for a big development, but more on the medium and long term. We are focusing our efforts more on the medium and the long term again, and the ADUO will be beneficial in that respect.

“So ADUO means more budget cap, means more dyno hours, more freedom on development. But again, not everything sometimes is in the short term. Our journey is a long journey. We have set an objective by 2030.

“So as well, when it comes to car development, power unit development, especially the power units, it takes time to develop, longer than maybe some chassis parts. Again, our plans are set. We will not see immediate benefits from the ADUO, but then it will be certainly beneficial for us.”

Audi’s presence on the grid as a full works operation represents one of the biggest long-term commitments in modern Formula 1, and Binotto believes the additional engine development freedom fits perfectly with the manufacturer’s ambitious timeline.

Engine power becomes Audi’s main target

While ADUO provides flexibility across different areas of the power unit, Binotto revealed that Audi’s priority is addressing the engine performance deficit identified by the FIA assessment.

The focus, he explained, is not on every aspect of the hybrid system but specifically on improving the combustion engine’s output.

“First, the ADUO is made on assessment of engine power, pure engine power, and the delta which is measured is really on the engine itself,” he said.

“So, it’s not the full power unit, it’s not related to energy management, efficiency of the electrical system – it’s pure engine power.

“So, if you have been assessed that you are down in engine power, I think the first where you have to be concentrated and focused is really on engine power. And that’s certainly where we stand at the moment ourselves as Audi. And that’s down to the efficiency of your combustion chamber.

“There isn’t much you can gain in there, but that’s not obviously the overall performance of a power unit. There are certainly efficiencies in the batteries, in the inverters, in the turbo dimensioning for what can be drivability on track and compromises.

“So when developing a power unit there are a lot of metrics, but certainly when it comes to ADUO, I think that’s assessing the gap on pure engine power, and that’s, I think, where at least we are focusing the most.”

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For Audi, the message is clear: the ADUO opportunity is not about chasing overnight headlines but about accelerating a carefully mapped-out journey.

With more development freedom now available, Binotto believes the German manufacturer has been given an important tool to strengthen its foundations and move closer to Formula 1’s front-running teams over the coming seasons.

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