Ferrari targets Austrian GP for first ADUO power unit upgrade
Ferrari is shipping the third version of its 067/6 power unit to Spielberg for the Austrian Grand Prix, pending FIA approval. The upgrade, permitted under ADUO regulations, advances the team's steel-alloy cylinder head concept and pairs it with a new Shell fuel blend. The combined package is estimated to add roughly 6 to 8 horsepower, translating to approximately one-tenth of a second at the Red Bull Ring.
What Ferrari is bringing to Spielberg
Ferrari is awaiting final FIA approval to introduce an upgraded power unit at the Austrian Grand Prix on 28 June, with the revised specification provisionally targeted for that weekend.[1] The team will ship the third version of its 067/6 internal combustion engine to the Red Bull Ring, carrying modifications permitted under ADUO, the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities framework introduced for the 2026 season.[1]
The ADUO ruling, communicated to teams during the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, placed Red Bull Powertrains as the FIA's benchmark engine, meaning Ferrari, Honda, and Audi were judged to be more than four per cent adrift and therefore qualify for two upgrade homologations in 2026 and two more in 2027.[3] Mercedes, rated between two and four per cent behind, received one upgrade slot this season.[2]
The steel-alloy cylinder head concept
The upgraded unit extends Ferrari's existing design philosophy built around a steel-alloy cylinder head, a material that tolerates combustion chamber temperatures high enough to cause structural failure in a conventional aluminium design.[1] Ferrari has already been running intake air into the intercooler at temperatures above 100 degrees Celsius, well beyond the 60 to 70 degrees typical of rival designs; from Austria onward that limit is expected to rise beyond 115 degrees Celsius.[1]
The higher temperature and pressure inside the combustion chamber allow a greater proportion of fuel particles to burn, producing a more efficient combustion process and converting more chemical energy into mechanical work.[1] A new Shell fuel blend, developed in collaboration with Ferrari's engine department, accompanies the engine changes and is formulated specifically for this higher-temperature combustion configuration.[1]
Estimated performance gain
Italian outlet AutoRacer estimates the ICE modifications will deliver around four to five horsepower, with the revised Shell fuel contributing a further two to three horsepower.[6] At the compact Red Bull Ring circuit, that combined gain is estimated to translate to just over one-tenth of a second per lap.[6]
:::analysis Austria is framed by the Maranello team as the first of two deliberate steps. The second, larger ADUO upgrade is widely reported to be planned for Monza in September, where Ferrari would introduce its fourth power unit of the season. The two phases together are expected to close a significant portion of the 40 to 45 horsepower gap that remains between the SF-26 and the benchmark Red Bull engine. That gap cannot be recovered in a single move, which is why splitting the development across two homologation windows makes strategic sense. A clean, trouble-free weekend in Austria is a prerequisite: Charles Leclerc's hydraulic and electronic failure in Barcelona demonstrated that pace on paper must be converted into finishes to matter in the standings. :::
Championship context
Lewis Hamilton's victory at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix ended Mercedes' run of six consecutive wins to open the 2026 season and gave Ferrari tangible evidence that the SF-26 can lead a race.[5] Hamilton now trails championship leader Kimi Antonelli by 41 points after Antonelli retired from the Spanish race with a mechanical failure.[5] Ferrari's second aerodynamic upgrade package, which debuted in Barcelona, contributed to the team demonstrating superior tyre management over the race distance.[1]
A second upgrade instalment, the larger ADUO step, is anticipated at Monza in September; the two phases together are projected to yield a combined gain of around 30 horsepower.[7] Ferrari's total deficit to the Red Bull benchmark stands at 40 to 45 horsepower, meaning the Austria upgrade alone will not close the gap in full.[7]
Related reading
- [1]Ferrari set to introduce new F1 fuel and engine updates in Austria (motorsport). Accessed 2026-06-22.
- [2]ADUO in F1: FIA reviewing engine findings as 'surprised' Red Bull question results ahead of Austrian Grand Prix (skysports). Accessed 2026-06-22.
- [3]ADUO F1 engine upgrades decision revealed (the-race). Accessed 2026-06-22.
- [4]ADUO in F1: Red Bull engine top rated by FIA as Mercedes, Ferrari granted upgrades for 2026 Formula 1 season (skysports). Accessed 2026-06-22.
- [5]Lewis Hamilton set for title boost with Ferrari poised to unleash new power unit (gpfans). Accessed 2026-06-22.
- [6]When will Ferrari introduce its hotly-anticipated F1 ADUO engine upgrade? (crash). Accessed 2026-06-22.
- [7]Ferrari deploying aggressive development strategy following ADUO boost (racingnews365). Accessed 2026-06-22.