The division Red Bull Powertrains will join the Ford to produce the power unit in 2026, the year of implementation of a new regulation in Formula 1. While the team is under no illusions about the challenge ahead as it faces the power of manufacturers like Mercedes, Ferrari It is AudiThe Red Bull also believes it can be competitive based on the effort it has made to become the category leader.
Reflecting on how the project is progressing in less than two years, Red Bull team principal, Christian Hornersaid: “We are on a steep learning curve, 70 years behind Ferrari, but we have a great group of people.”
“We are applying the same philosophy that we have in the chassis to the engine. But it is a different challenge with the engine. Therefore, there are no guarantees.”, he assessed.
“There is no awareness of where others are with these new regulations. It’s a blank sheet of paper and we don’t have the benefit of an existing engine to learn from.”
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
“But at the same time, we don’t have the distraction of the current engine and the reliability fixes and so on that need to be addressed there,” he noted.
“I don’t think we’ll really see it until 2026. But we’re meeting our goals right now. And with 2026 just under two years away, if I look at the progress we’ve made in the last two years, starting almost from scratch, it’s been very impressive. “
With F1 entering an era of entirely new rules from 2026, where chassis and engine regulations are changing at the same time, there is a strong chance that the competitive order will be shaken up.
But Horner is not worried that Red Bull is worse off than its competitors, despite having to focus on both the car and the engine.
“If I were to support any team to get the chassis right, I think we have a reasonable track record. We took on a new project with the engine, but we have some exceptional people and an incredible facility,” he highlighted.
“Absolutely. It’s very bold what we did, it’s very brave and it’s quite daring, but Red Bull wouldn’t have won 117 races and done what we did without making bold decisions. And we believe it will pay off.”
