Overview
- The FIA on Wednesday published guidance for its 2026 Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities system, which will issue the first results within two weeks after the Canadian Grand Prix and now covers Australia, China, Japan, Miami and Canada due to early race cancellations.
- Eligibility rests on an ICE Performance Index that uses on‑car data such as input shaft torque, engine speed and MGU‑K power, with support triggered once an internal‑combustion engine is 2% or more behind the leading unit.
- Relief comes in two forms: extra homologation slots—one current‑season plus one next season for a 2–4% shortfall or two plus two for 4% or more—and cost‑cap allowances that scale from up to $3.0m at 2–4% to up to $11.0m beyond 10%, with a one‑time 2026 option to tap up to $8.0m from future periods.
- The FIA stresses this is not Balance of Performance as no fuel flow or ballast changes are granted, and approved upgrades can target areas beyond the engine block such as the turbo, exhaust, MGU‑K, control electronics and cooling, with unused same‑season slots expiring at year end.
- Multiple outlets report Honda, which powers Aston Martin, is a likely candidate and could access roughly $19m under the >10% tier plus the 2026 advance, while rivals like Mercedes warn that decisions must curb gamesmanship and any upgrades could be fitted as soon as the race after notification.