Red Bull-Ford face Mount Everest challenge as 2026 power unit era begins

08:00, 14 Jan

byDrew Murphy

2026 will be the first time since Red Bull took over Jaguar in 2005 that they will compete with its own power unit in Formula 1.

“We know that 2026 is going to be a challenging year for everybody in the paddock because of the new rules. And regardless of the driver, it's important for the team to deliver."

- Mark Rusbrook, Ford performance director

The move brings Red Bull its advantages, one being the integration of the power unit into the chassis, but questions remain over how competitive the new package can be in the short term.

Ford performance director Mark Rusbrook has confirmed previously that internal targets are being met and the project is on track, but possibly not where other manufacturers have set the bar.

Rushrbook agreed with Toto Wolff in saying that Red Bull-Ford has “Mount Everest to climb.”

Laurent Mekies was amazed by Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen, Helmut Marko, and Laurent Mekies. Photo: Red Bull Content Pool

Max Verstappen’s manager Raymond Vermeulen has said that this year will be key for the four-time world champion’s long-term future.

Speaking to Autosport, Rushbrook said: “He [Verstappen] is a generational talent. To have a champion in the car with a Red Bull Ford power unit is important, right?

“We believe in the team, we believe in the power unit, and we believe in the people that are designing the car.

“But at the end of the day, it comes down to the driver to get every single ounce out of it. And we believe Max is a champion.”

But Rushbrook added that Ford’s commitment is not tied to one driver: “Max is an important part, but it's not to the point where we would say, oh, if he's gone from the team, we are too.

“No, we know that we have confidence in the team and that we'll get other drivers in the future.”

Ford wants to perform

The American manufacturer understands what they need to do in order to keep the four-time world champion at Red Bull.

Rushbrook said: “As racers, we want to win no matter what. So it is important to go out on track and perform.

“We know that 2026 is going to be a challenging year for everybody in the paddock because of the new rules.

“And regardless of the driver, it's important for the team to deliver.

“My comments are independent of Max. We want to be on the track with the intention of winning.”

Photo: Red Bull Content Pool

These targets are a stark contrast to fellow newcomer Audi, which stated they want to fight for a world championship in 2030.

Rushbrook added: “Yes, but I think they’re in a different position. In terms of where the team is, where the car is etcetera.

“In terms of what the team can deliver with a car, you have seen that with Red Bull already. And that is partly going to carry over to 2026.

“We’ll see where we really are in Barcelona and Bahrain. We want to be at the front of the grid no matter what.

“We know it’s a massive challenge with the all-new power unit, but that’s our intention.

“And if we’re not, we’re still committed to doing everything that we can to get to where we want to be.”

Photo: Red Bull Content Pool

A diverse team

The team working on Red Bull’s new powertrains consists of a diverse group.

Alongside Red Bull and Ford employees, the team also includes people recruited from previous engine partner Honda, as well as hires from Mercedes.

Rushbrook added: “It was about developing a culture, whereas the existing engine manufacturers already got their culture.

“In this case, it was at least within the Milton Keynes campus, with a culture there.

“So there's people coming in and adapting to that. But growing from zero Powertrains employees to over 500 now, you've got to get all of them to accept that culture and to embrace it.”

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