Overview
- Ford’s Mark Rushbrook says Red Bull’s power unit has met internal targets but needs on‑track validation, with a slight combustion‑engine deficit possible and performance expected to be recovered elsewhere.
- Red Bull team boss Laurent Mekies calls building an in‑house unit with Ford support a “crazy” decision and warns of very tough early months rather than an immediate benchmark package.
- Ferrari reports encouraging bench progress on its next‑gen hybrid system and is preparing to evaluate multiple car and engine specifications, including a reported steel‑alloy head option, in early testing.
- Team principal Fred Vasseur signals teams will prioritize reliability and mileage at the closed Barcelona sessions before Bahrain, adding that rapid in‑season development will matter more than the order at the first race.
- Technical analyst Gary Anderson cautions that the 2026 rules could initially create larger performance spreads and place a premium on engineering solutions over driver influence.