Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff pressed the FIA on Tuesday, warning that the new Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities slated for the 2026 season could reshuffle the current hierarchy. After winning the first three Grands Prix, Mercedes sits atop the standings with a self‑built power unit that other manufacturers may soon be allowed to match soon.

Under the regulations, any power‑unit supplier lagging at least two percent behind the leader gains three windows to introduce upgrades. Wolff argued the intent is a modest catch‑up tool, not a mechanism for a sudden leapfrog. He singled out Honda, currently supplying only Aston Martin, as the sole contender needing assistance, while insisting the rest of the field sit in a similar performance band.

Ferrari’s team principal Fred Vasseur has already voiced hope that an ADUO could help close the gap to the Silver Arrows, but Wolff dismissed any fear of a surprise shift in the order. He stressed that the FIA must apply the rule with “absolute precision and transparency,” ensuring any upgrade programme merely levels the field rather than overturning Mercedes’ early‑season dominance.