Mekies dismisses Wolff's position as the disagreement over the ADUO engine escalates.

      "Mercedes is certainly quite far ahead of most of us."

      Laurent Mekies has responded to Toto Wolff amid an escalating political dispute regarding Formula 1’s new engine balancing system. The FIA is getting ready to evaluate performance differences between manufacturers under the ADUO (Additional Design and Upgrade Opportunities) rules, which may grant struggling suppliers more development flexibility. Wolff has claimed that only Honda should qualify, contending that the rest of the teams are already competitive. However, Mekies disagrees and maintains that Mercedes is still distinctly ahead. "The discussion around the establishment of that ranking has been ongoing since Bahrain, and we’re not inclined to follow that narrative," he stated. "We understand that it's a challenging task. We simply report what we observe."

      "What we observe is that Mercedes is indeed a long way ahead for most of us. And yes, Honda, in particular, is lagging behind." Mekies even quantified the gap, stating, "Three tenths, that’s our internal estimate.” The Frenchman emphasized that Red Bull does not accept claims that it is exaggerating its deficit to gain extra development opportunities. "We’re not trying to endorse that narrative," he reiterated, suggesting that Mercedes may have its own motives for downplaying or concealing its advantage. "Mercedes now has such a significant lead that they may be inclined to do so – which is understandable."

      At the same time, Mekies acknowledged the considerable challenge the FIA faces in evaluating the competitors. "The inherent difficulty in determining who stands where, even for the FIA, is significant. Very significant," he remarked. "The objective complexity of getting it right is extensive, due to factors like the combustion engine versus the battery, and fundamental decisions – a small turbo, a large turbo, whether to utilize exhaust gas blowing or not." "It's not an enjoyable task to undertake." While Red Bull currently trails, Mekies insists that progress is being made. "It has clearly exceeded expectations," he noted regarding the new power unit. "We need to reclaim those tenths. It may not happen in Miami, but it will happen."

      However, he downplayed the notion that any ADUO allowance would result in an immediate upgrade. "Even though theoretically you have the right to do it right after the judgement, are we actually prepared for that? Probably not," Mekies commented. "Realistically, I doubt that you will see it in the early part of the season, at least not from us."