Overview

• Laurent Mekies described Red Bull’s decision to build its own 2026 power unit with Ford as “as crazy as it gets” and agreed with Toto Wolff’s “Mount Everest” assessment of the task.
• Red Bull confirmed it will debut the Red Bull–Ford hybrid unit next season, transitioning from customer to constructor under the sport’s sweeping 2026 rules.
• Mekies said it would be “silly” to expect immediate performance at Ferrari or Mercedes levels, signaling realistic goals for the first year.
• Work is accelerating at Red Bull Powertrains in Milton Keynes, with Mekies highlighting the rapid build-out of people and infrastructure and warning of “sleepless nights.”
• The program was launched under Christian Horner; Max Verstappen is set for 2026, while the second seat remains subject to internal competition and outside speculation.