The Red Bull racing team, based in Milton Keynes, will start making its own engines in 2026. They’re partnering with Ford for this new venture called Red Bull Powertrains. It’s a big challenge because they’ll be up against big companies like Mercedes, Ferrari, and Audi. But Red Bull believes it can be competitive because of the hard work it’s put into becoming a top team.
Team principal Christian Horner said they’re learning a lot and have a great team of people. He said, “We’re applying the same philosophy as we have on the chassis to the engine. But it’s a different challenge with the engine. So, there’s no guarantees.”
Right now, it’s hard to know where Red Bull stands compared to other teams. Horner said they don’t have any previous engines to learn from, which is a disadvantage. But on the bright side, they don’t have to deal with fixing old engine problems. They’re meeting their goals, and Horner is impressed with how much progress they’ve made in just two years.
From 2026, Formula 1 will have new rules for both cars and engines. This could change the order of who’s competitive. But Horner isn’t worried. He believes Red Bull can get the car right, and they have a good track record with that. Even though they’re starting a new engine project, they have talented people and great facilities.
Horner said, “It’s very bold what we’ve done and it’s very brave and it’s pretty ballsy, but Red Bull wouldn’t have won 117 races and done what we’ve done without making bold decisions. And we believe that it will pay off.”
