Red Bull's in-house power unit for next year is in production, chief engineer Paul Monaghan confirmed in Las Vegas.
"Some things are already set in stone. So the engines are in manufacture. We've got large chunks of the car in manufacture."
- Paul MonaghanRed Bull Racing is embarking on a special journey for the 2026 season: not only does a regulation change take place in
Formula 1, but for the first time in their history, Red Bull is developing its own power unit in collaboration with Ford.
Chief engineer Monaghan explained that interesting months await the team in the lead-up to the first tests at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, which are set to be contested from 26 to 30 January.
The Briton said in Las Vegas: "Some things are already set in stone. So the engines are in manufacture. We've got large chunks of the car in manufacture."
Monaghan at the Azerbaijan GP - Photo: Red Bull Content Pool
He continued: "Getting a car to reliably do laps in a simulation world is proving quite difficult, but yes, somehow we'll be ready for Barcelona, as well as everybody else.
"How ready? We will see. It's quite a mountain to climb to 2026, but it's there for all of us to climb. If we're at the summit first or if we're at the summit and others are already there, that's part of the sport."
For now, Monaghan is positive about next year: "It's not a determined outcome. It's an unknown outcome. And we, I think, can be competitive next year. I think we'll have a good car, a good engine. We've got awesome drivers. So let's see how we get on."
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