Red Bull 'desperately trying to catch up' to rivals in the 2026 F1 power unit development

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner claims the team is 'desperately' trying to catch up to rivals regarding its 2026 engine development model.

The Austrian team is currently using Honda engines that have been rebranded as 'RBTP Honda'.

F1 will introduce a new engine formula starting in 2026, with teams rushing to get on top of the new regulations. The 2026 season will also see the entry of players such as Audi F1, who are trying to shuffle the pecking order on debut.

Red Bull will be fully responsible for the design of its power units from 2026. Although the team has struck a partnership with Ford, it is unclear what role the American automotive giant will play in engine development.

Speaking in an interview for his team's website, Horner said about the 2026 engine development:

“We’re building a new engine for 2026 as well, and we’re desperately trying to catch up. We’re building it here [in Milton Keynes, at the racing team’s base], it’s a start-up new business that we’ve welcomed 400 new members to the team in, and we started from scratch."

"We had our first V6 engine running about nine months ago, and we’re building on that. There’s never a dull moment.”

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Red Bull's early concerns explained

The Red Bull team boss has expressed his apprehension regarding his team's reliability in the initial stages of the season. Despite their exceptional performance in 2023, Horner believes that reliability problems can arise anytime.

Red Bull have had a perfect start to the season, winning all three races and securing a 1-2 finish in two of them. The Austrian team has been unparalleled in its performance, with Max Verstappen leading the drivers' championship yet again, leaving other teams far behind in terms of dominance.

Despite their stellar form so far, Horner claims a reliability issue is never too far away given the unpredictable nature of the sport. When asked if the team has any concerns early in the season, the Red Bull boss told the Talking Bull podcast:

"There's always something. There's always reliability. You know, it's something that is never too far away with these cars. We've had some issues in the first race that we have to manage. We had a drive-shaft issue with Max in Saudi."

"Obviously, Checo had some issues in the buildup to qualifying in Australia. There's always little things that can disrupt your flow."

With the sport all set to race in Baku, it will be interesting to follow the Bulls around the historic city.