How Monza revealed the true picture – Max Verstappen responds to FIA's surprising ADUO verdict

According to Verstappen, the race at Monza showed that there is still a significant difference with the deployment of the Mercedes power unit. Behind the scenes, Red Bull remains unhappy with the ADUO ranking

After the race weekend in Zandvoort, the FIA finally publicly confirmed what had already been known in the paddock since the Monaco weekend: every manufacturer has been awarded a token under Formula 1’s Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities system, except Red Bull Ford Powertrains.

Based on the first measurement period, the newcomer from Milton Keynes was placed at the top of the ranking with the most powerful internal combustion engine in the field, and the second measurement period, which ended after the Hungarian Grand Prix, did nothing to change that.

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The lengthy delay in the public announcement has everything to do with Red Bull’s dissatisfaction behind the scenes. The team has repeatedly asked for clarification, with even CEO Oliver Mintzlaff heavily involved in the matter.

Verstappen has been very cautious in his comments about ADUO in recent months, partly because he did not want to antagonise the FIA while the process was still ongoing. After the formal announcement, Motorsport.com asked the Dutchman in Monza about the outcome, but surprisingly, Verstappen indicated that discussions behind the scenes were still ongoing.

"My comments are still the same as last time," said the four-time world champion. "We are surprised as a team and we don't see the same numbers, so yeah, we're still in discussions with the FIA about this. We'll see what comes out of this."

The reference to ongoing discussions is somewhat surprising given that the results have officially been announced, but the FIA has clarified that Red Bull remains unhappy behind closed doors and continues to express its dissatisfaction – even though that would not change the results.

That is also because Red Bull has little ammunition to work with. The actual problem runs deeper – in how the system is set up – but there is little the teams can say about that. The fundamental problem is that the measurements are based solely on the internal combustion engine, while the upgrade opportunities also cover the electrical side of the power unit.

FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis has said that he was open to taking more parameters into account, but that the teams and manufacturers insisted on keeping the system as simple as possible.

With Red Bull at the top of the ICE ranking, this weakness in the system is being exposed in the worst possible way. Red Bull is lacking on the electrical side of the power unit and needs to work on that, but cannot do so because it has not received an ADUO token.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

When Verstappen was asked about ADUO again in Madrid, he also points to this issue and explains that the Italian GP exposed this discrepancy in the clearest possible way.

"The thing is, of course, you have the measurement of the ICE, but not the battery, right? So it's two different things and at the end of the day, they almost deploy the same amount of power," he said.

"If you only measure one thing, maybe we are very good on the ICE side and then maybe not as strong on the battery side compared to Mercedes. It's very hard to know, but that's what it looks like at the moment."

Monza provided confirmation of that. Verstappen was able to take the fight to Mercedes with overtake mode – and therefore with additional energy to recover and deploy – but once he was in the lead and without overtake mode, the real limitations were exposed.

"We just didn't have the same kind of deployment as Mercedes and it was quite clear when I got into the lead," said the Dutchman. "It was very hard to fight them. I could only just stay with them when I had the overtake mode.

"So, yeah, we just have to do a better job and keep working, keep trying to be better in every aspect: car, engine, battery, all of that. It's never-ending, it's an ongoing development process. We know what we have to work on, but it takes time."

That is easier said than done, however, as Red Bull is severely limited in what it can do without an ADUO token. Of course, the deployment strategy can be optimised for each circuit, but Red Bull is the only manufacturer that is not allowed to introduce an upgrade and is, to some extent, dependent on other manufacturers if it is ever to get off the top spot.