Red Bull Racing are attempting something no other customer team has ever achieved in Formula One, building its own power unit. Even before the days of the complex hybrid PU’s of today, creating a competitive F1 engine has been a puzzle auto manufacturers have tried to solve for decades.
Having turned down a deal which would have seen Porsche take a 50% ownership in the racing team, Red Bull turned to American auto giant Ford to partner in the most difficult endeavour of the team’s F1 journey.
The Red Bull journey to build its own F1 PU was rooted in the last power unit development cycle, when the team’s engine partner spectacular missed the mark back in 2014. Mercedes with their massive budget came out almost a second quicker than the rest of the field and the French owned Renault power trains division were hampered by financial restrictions which came from board decisions in Paris.
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So poor was the Renault power, Adrian Newey decided his design genius would be better served elsewhere he eventually quit as the team’s technical director in 2018 to pursue racing yacht designs and the creation of two hyper cars.
Having ditched Renault for Honda, Red Bull were again in the ascendency but come the autumn of 2020, the Japanese auto manufacturer made the decision to withdraw from F1 come the end of 2021. Once again Red Bull were without a power unit supplier, knowing their key rivals in Mercedes and Ferrari had turned their advances down previously.
The result was Red Bull powertrains (RBPT) was formed in February of 2021 which coincided with the FIA’s decisions to freeze all engine design from 2022 onwards – until agreement was reached over the specification of the next generation of F1 engines.
Red Bull then reached an agreement with Honda to use its power units during that period before entering with a fully designed and built in house powertrain for introduction in 2026. A year later a strategic partnership with Ford was formed who were initially contracted to handle the hybrid aspects of the RBPT.
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Yet speaking to Motorsport aktuell in October 2025, Mark Rushbrook, Global Director of Ford Performance, emphasised the manufacturer’s initial motivations. “We wanted to learn about electrification: battery cell chemistry, motors, inverters, calibration, control, and how everything interacts with the combustion engine,” he explained.
However, this arrangement quickly expanded in terms of its jurisdiction as Ford became integral to the entire PU. “Initially, we weren’t really interested in working on the combustion engine, but now we’re doing it because we obviously still have a lot to learn in this area,” added Rushbrook. “We’re primarily helping with the production of parts. So now we’re working on almost the entire car – and also on the operational side.”
The expansion of Ford’s role from hybrid partner to now including the internal combustion engine and beyond, Ford is enhancing its own technical expertise along with bolstering Red Bull’s hopes of delivering a competitive PU for 2026.
Yet rumours persist that Red Bull may be behind the curve in terms of its power unit, although before Christmas it was reported that ed Bull along with Mercedes were utilising heat induced expanding components which was increasing the compression ratio in the internal combustion engine.
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The FIA test for the new PU’s compression will be performed whilst the car is stationary and at ambient temperatures. Of course whilst running extremely hot out on track, certain components could expand driving the pistons ever closer to the cylinder head. The power increase is thought to be around 15BHP.
The latest from Ford’s global motorsport director, insists that should their be an power deficit in the RBPT, it will there or there about, even if its not the quickest PU in the field. Rushbrook told Motorsport.com: “It would be minimal then, I think.
“Because yes, other manufacturers have years of experience, but with the rules for 2026 it’s just a little bit different. And, of course, we have also brought together a lot of experienced people from different programs.
“So even if we are a little bit behind with the internal combustion engine, I think it won’t be much and we can make up for it in all other areas,” Rusbrook concludes. The teams will first test their new PU’s in anger during a five day session to be held in Barcelona at the end of January. Each team will be allowed to run their car on three of the allocated days, allowing for downtime if necessary to shakeout any gremlins.
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FIA will allow re-homolgation
Of course the main focus initially will be on the all new PU’s which will be under the team’s microscope given the powertrains they take to Barcelona will not yet be homologated for the year by the FIA. This will take place at the latest on march 1st, just a week or so before the opening race in Australia.
There will of course be tweaks between the run out in Barcelona and the final day of homologation, allowing manufacturers to address any power defects they may have in relation to the field. Yet even were they to fail to address these kinds of issues before march 1st, the FIA will open a window to reassess any straggling PU manufacturers even offering further development in season and the chance to a re-homologate.
Of course Red Bull have never built an F1 powertrain before, but they’e been at it now for four long years, three of which following their partnership announcement with Ford. The Barcelona test is set to be behind closed doors, although as with all secret tests, information will surely leak outside those privy garage walls in the pit lane.
Vettel said to be “extremely nervous” about his F1 return
“What am I actually doing here?” said Sebastian Vettel, who has admitted that his first return to the Formula 1 paddock since retiring at the end of the 2022 season was far more emotionally challenging than he had expected. The four-time world champion revealed that stepping back into the familiar surroundings of the Monaco Grand Prix left him feeling uneasy and uncertain.
Speaking on the Beyond The Grid podcast, Vettel explained that his visit was prompted by a professional meeting rather than nostalgia. He had arranged to meet Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali to discuss a project he hoped to develop. Monaco, with its compact paddock and historic significance, seemed like the natural place to do it.
“I had spoken to Stefano Domenicali at Formula 1 because I wanted to present him with an idea for a project I had in mind,” Vettel said. “So I said, ‘No problem, I’ll come and meet you in Monaco.’”….READ MORE
A.J. Hunt is Senior Editor at TJ13, where Andrew oversees editorial standards and contributes to the site’s Formula 1 coverage. A career journalist with experience in both print and digital sports media, Andrew trained in investigative journalism and has written for a range of European sports outlets.
At TJ13, Andrew plays a central role in shaping the site’s output, working across breaking news, analysis, and long-form features. Andrew’s responsibilities include fact-checking, refining editorial structure, and ensuring consistency in reporting across a fast-moving news cycle.
Andrew’s work focuses particularly on the intersection of Formula 1 politics, regulation, and team strategy. Andrew closely follows developments involving the FIA, team leadership, and driver market dynamics, helping to provide context behind the sport’s biggest stories.
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