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Ferrari have been handed an opportunity to close the engine performance gap to Formula 1 rivals Mercedes within just weeks after the FIA confirmed a change to their original timescale. The original timings of the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities [ADUO] programme, introduced for this season, have been thrown off by the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia races that were due to take place in April.

The first assessment period was due to be after the sixth round of the season, which would have been the Miami Grand Prix, but the loss of two races now makes the Monaco Grand Prix, scheduled for early June, the sixth round. Talks have been held in recent weeks to assess what changes might need to be made to the ADUO schedule in light of the revised 2026 race calendar.

And it has now been confirmed by the FIA that the first assessment period has been brought forward to race five, next weekend's Canadian Grand Prix. It means that, after the action in Montreal has concluded, any engine manufacturer found to be at least two percent down on power to the best-performing power unit will be allowed to introduce an upgrade.

It is a lifeline that all manufacturers other than Mercedes are looking to, as the engines made by the Silver Arrows have proven the be the class of the field in the ealry rounds of this campaign. Audi and Honda, the latter supplying the Aston Martin team, are expected to qualify got an ADUO upgrade with their engines quite significantly off the pace.

It remains to be seen whether Red Bull and Ferrari will also be measured at more than two percent down. The latter in particular are counting on it, having begun the season with a chassis which they felt could challenge the Mercedes cars if it weren't for the fact they were lacking overall power from their engines compared to those being used by George Russell and current championship leader Kimi Antonelli.

Should they get the chance to upgrade their engines ahead of the Monaco race, it would be a boon for Lewis Hamilton who has begun to show signs of frustration with his situation again, after a positive start to the year. Aged 41, he has limited time left to win the eighth title he craves before retiring from F1 and so will be especially keen to revive this season if he can.

However, FIA single seater director Nikolas Tombazis has already warned teams not to expect that being allowed to make an engine upgrade will automatically be a silver bullet for them. He said: "Please don't forget that ADUO is not like, as some people may say, a balance of performance [measure].

"It's not like suddenly you get more fuel flow rate or more ballast, or less ballast or anything like that. We are looking at just a bit more opportunity to develop your engine in terms of cash, which, of course, is important. I'm not trying to underestimate it, but you still need to make the best engine in order to win. It's not like we give three brownie points to somebody who's behind."