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Huge worries for Verstappen and Red Bull? 'Problem with the Power Unit'
- Ludo van Denderen
Years of collaboration between Red Bull and Ford have led to this moment. In just 12 months, the Austrian team's first car is expected to hit the track with an engine developed jointly by the two parties. But the big question remains—will the power unit be competitive enough to challenge Ferrari, Mercedes, Honda, and even Audi right from the start?
Christian Horner has repeatedly assured that Red Bull Powertrains (RBPT) and Ford are on track, meeting all their development targets for the new engine. However, the real question is whether those benchmarks align with their rivals or if they have already pulled ahead in the race to 2026.
There have been persistent rumours that Red Bull Powertrains (RBPT) and Ford are struggling to match the performance of rival power units. It’s no secret that Max Verstappen’s camp is increasingly concerned about the competitiveness of Red Bull’s engine project. If the power unit falls short, it could force difficult decisions about the Dutchman’s long-term future with the team.
Verstappen camp swaying towards Mercedes
The possibility of Max Verstappen switching to Mercedes in 2026 is gaining traction, primarily because the German manufacturer is expected to have the strongest and most reliable power unit under the new regulations. With Red Bull Powertrains facing doubts about its competitiveness, Verstappen’s camp is closely monitoring alternative options—and Mercedes appears to be the most attractive.
Italian medium Autosprint has written about the Red Bull Powertrains in its print edition this week. According to the magazine's sources, rumours about problems with the power units are true. On one hand, the engines may not be fast enough, but on the other hand, the biggest problem would be reliability.
Red Bull Racing still has 12 months to fine-tune the engine. However, the omens are not positive. In the history of Formula 1, no manufacturer has ever managed to build the fastest and most reliable power unit from day one.
This article was written in collaboration with Toby Nixon
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