Gabriel Bortoleto, the Audi F1 star, has laid out a realistic timeline for the German marque to see improvements on their power unit.
What is ADUO?
The FIA's Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) ranking offers underperforming power unit manufacturers the opportunity to upgrade their engines.
Audi, Honda, and Ferrari have been ranked among the lowest of the sport's five PU providers, meaning they have two upgrade opportunities to utilise.
Bortoleto's Expectations
Bortoleto revealed that Audi are hoping to take a more steady approach to the upgrades instead of going all in, telling Julianne Cerasoli's Pole Position column for UOL Esporte: "We'll bring things in gradually.
But I don't think anything big will happen this year. Whatever we use from ADUO, I believe it will come in 2027 and 2028.
The FIA's Decision
The FIA's governing body are yet to officially confirm the results of their ADUO ranking as they continue to assess their findings and discuss them with the teams and power unit manufacturers ahead of this weekend's Austrian Grand Prix.
Red Bull have been labelled the 'benchmark' engine for the 2026 regulations, a conclusion that surprised and confused even the energy drink giants themselves.
What Comes Next?
According to reports in foreign media, Audi are said to be planning to introduce an ADUO engine upgrade at the upcoming Austrian GP, but Bortoleto does not expect it to be 'life changing'.
For this year, it will bring a little something here or there, but nothing that will change our lives, said Bortoleto.
That's our task force, to put everything we have into it, he added.