Ford Cautious as Red Bull’s 2026 F1 Engine Meets Targets Ahead of Barcelona Test
The in-house unit follows Honda’s exit, with Ford in a technical role pending comparison with rivals at testing.
Overview
- Ford performance chief Mark Rushbrook says internal targets for Red Bull’s 2026 power unit have been achieved after extensive lab and simulation work.
- The first meaningful validation comes at the Barcelona pre-season tests on January 26–30, where on-track integration will be assessed.
- Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar are slated to provide initial driving feedback during the private running at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
- Rushbrook acknowledges some nervousness before track debut and expects any combustion-engine deficit to established manufacturers to be slight and recoverable elsewhere in the package.
- Red Bull Powertrains now builds the engine in-house after Honda’s departure to Aston Martin, with the competitive order versus Ferrari, Mercedes and Honda remaining unknown until testing data emerges.