Overview

• Red Bull Powertrains, in technical partnership with Ford, is developing the team’s first in‑house power unit for the 2026 rules as it transitions to a full works outfit.
• Laurent Mekies cautions that 2026 will bring heavy workloads and “sleepless nights,” adding it would be “silly” to expect immediate parity or regular wins against established engine makers.
• Ford CEO Jim Farley describes Max Verstappen as one of the key pillars for the project’s success, while Mekies says Verstappen is deeply involved in simulator work and development decisions.
• Verstappen visited Red Bull’s Milton Keynes powertrain facility this week with Mekies and Helmut Marko as the engine program’s ramp‑up continues.
• Former Red Bull driver David Coulthard expects Verstappen to judge the project through 2026 and suggests he could seek an exit if the package struggles over time.