Max Verstappen stunned by FIA power unit decision: Red Bull blocked from upgrade despite Mercedes dominance
Max Verstappen has been left stunned and disappointed by the FIA’s decision to prevent Red Bull from power unit upgrades under the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) scheme, despite Mercedes’ overwhelming dominance in the 2026 Formula 1 season. Speaking on the podium after a hard-fought Belgian Grand Prix, Verstappen did not hide his surprise at the governing body’s assessment that Red Bull has the best engine on the grid.
At Spa-Francorchamps, Verstappen delivered a strong performance to achieve a podium finish and Red Bull’s 300th podium as a constructor. The high-speed nature of the Belgian circuit was expected to favor those with the most powerful engines, and both Mercedes and Red Bull took the lead in qualifying. However, Verstappen’s hopes of a higher finish were unfortunately dashed by a timed virtual safety car, which prevented him from challenging Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc for second place.
Despite Red Bull’s superior performance, Mercedes continued their winning streak, with Kimi Antonelli taking victory and continuing the team’s unbeaten run into 2026. The FIA’s ADUO scheme, introduced at the start of the season to assist power unit manufacturers, has become a flashpoint. In the first ADUO window in June, the FIA controversially judged Red Bull to have the best power unit, a decision that allowed Mercedes – who had won all six races so far – to bring forward upgrades, while denying Red Bull any development opportunities.
Verstappen openly questioned the reasoning behind the decision after the race, expressing a desire for an engine upgrade and casting doubt on the FIA’s assessment. “I think without the Virtual Safety Car it probably would have been another battle with Charles,” Verstappen told Sky Sports’ Craig Slater. “But I mean, for me, it’s been a pretty straightforward weekend. Nothing crazy. Race pace was OK. Still struggling a little bit with balance, a little bit of a balance problem to go faster in the race. But yeah, in general, the weekend was good. So I think that’s a positive thing too.”
However, Verstappen did not shy away from addressing the limitations imposed on Red Bull by the FIA’s decision: “I mean, I would also like an engine upgrade. Yeah, it’s not in my hands.” When Slater reminded him that the FIA’s ADUO ruling had declared Red Bull’s power unit to be the fastest, Verstappen replied bluntly: “Yes, that’s what I meant, but when you look at the qualifying, it doesn’t really look like that, does it? So I don’t know what to say.”
A dispute over the FIA’s engine hierarchy has put Verstappen and Red Bull at a disadvantage as Mercedes continues to lead. Verstappen’s comments highlight a sense of growing frustration within the team as they struggle to keep pace with their rivals under the restrictive rules.
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