MERCEDES LEADS F1—BUT RED BULL-FORD SETS THE ENGINE BENCHMARK

Mercedes leads Formula 1’s 2026 championships, but the FIA’s first two engine-development reviews have left Red Bull-Ford as the internal-combustion benchmark its rivals are being permitted to chase.

Mercedes was measured between two and four percent behind the leading combustion engine, earning one additional homologated upgrade in 2026 and another in 2027. Ferrari, Honda and Audi were assessed at more than four percent behind and will each receive two additional homologations in both seasons. Those allowances also include corresponding increases in permitted dyno testing and power-unit cost-cap spending.

Red Bull-Ford is the only manufacturer receiving no additional development allowance. That does not mean Red Bull has Formula 1’s best complete car or even the strongest complete hybrid power unit. The FIA’s Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities system measures the internal-combustion engine separately, while championship performance depends on the entire power unit, aerodynamics, chassis, reliability and race execution.

The second review period produced no further allocations, leaving the original allowances unchanged. A third assessment will cover the seven races from the Netherlands through Mexico City, giving the FIA another opportunity to measure whether the combustion-engine gaps have changed.