Honda crisis: changes to the ADUO regulation are being evaluated to help it

F1 needs everyone to be competitive. That the 2026 power unit regulation would take no prisoners in terms of potential sporting fools was a foreseeable scenario, but few would have bet on the fact that the most sensational fiasco would once again fall to the Honda engine which, as happened already in 2015, is currently not even remotely competitive to the point of pushing the other competitors to change the regulation to help the Japanese giant as much as possible. According to what was reported by the newspaper The-Race.com, in fact, the possibility of modifying the regulation relating to the ADUO – the system aimed precisely at helping motorists in difficulty – is being considered to give Honda further chances of recovery because it does not benefit anyone in F1 for a participant to be in such difficulty in terms of performance. Currently the ADUO provides two thresholds at the performance difference level of 2 and 4%. Those who fall within the first barrier are entitled to introduce one improvement for 2026 and one for 2027, while those who fall within the second are authorized to make two improvements this season and another two in the following season. What is being discussed is to review this limit so that any builder at a strong disadvantage is not limited in terms of his ability to recover. If Honda fails to fall within the 4% improvement window during the second half of the season, for example by revisiting the regulations it could be granted new freedoms to develop, spend and introduce updates. For this regulation change to be introduced, a supermajority is needed in the F1 Power Unit Advisory Committee, i.e. four of the five current car manufacturers, together with the FOM and the FIA.

Automobile Magazine – F1 English News
2026-04-30 16:50:00