Ferrari poised for ADUO enhancement as Hamilton discloses standings.

      Lewis Hamilton has disclosed that Ferrari has already been informed it will qualify for Formula 1’s new ADUO power-unit assistance program. The FIA is anticipated to officially announce the initial recipients of the system in the next few days, but Hamilton states that Ferrari is already aware of its position. Contrary to popular belief, Mercedes is not the reference point.

      "We received the news yesterday or today," the seven-time world champion remarked after the Monaco Grand Prix. "Red Bull has the most powerful engine, Mercedes comes in second, and we’re close behind them. Our team now has tokens to enhance the power unit and narrow the gap."

      The ADUO system was established to support manufacturers that fall behind due to Formula 1’s controversial 2026 engine regulations. However, Hamilton cautioned that any improvements will take time. "We’ll strive to narrow the gap," he said. "But this project will require eight to ten months, so don’t expect a new engine from us next week."

      Ferrari is anticipated to introduce updates in Barcelona, although Hamilton suggested the team’s most significant issue may not be related to the engine. After finishing on the Monaco podium between Mercedes winner Kimi Antonelli and Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar, Hamilton was impressed by the speed advantage of the silver car. "As we started racing, I could see him pull away," he said about Antonelli. "Their performance is on another level."

      "It was a valuable experience because it gives me a clearer idea of where improvements are needed within the team." When asked about Ferrari’s shortcomings, Hamilton primarily cited the chassis. "Just overall performance," he clarified. "In terms of downforce, they are clearly ahead of us. On power, it’s not such a concern here. It’s mainly downforce. You could tell just by traction that they were worlds apart from us."

      The acknowledgement that Red Bull currently possesses Formula 1’s most powerful engine may clarify why the FIA is not expected to grant the Milton Keynes-based team any ADUO accommodations. Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies confirmed after Monaco that Max Verstappen’s retirement was related to a power-unit issue but insisted that the engine was already slated for replacement. "As you may know, this was also Max’s first power unit," he stated. "We had already planned to replace it after Monaco."

      Verstappen expressed that the retirement was frustrating but not catastrophic for his championship aspirations. "If I had been leading the championship, this would have been very painful," he noted. "Now it’s less so, but still quite annoying and disappointing for everyone. I hope we can quickly understand the problem and resolve it for the future."