F1 News: Red Bull Engine Ambitions Squashed By Audi Mercedes Renault And Ferrari
Red Bull has been denied the opportunity to be recognised as a "new" power unit supplier for the 2026 season due to reported opposition from current suppliers Ferrari, Mercedes, and Renault, as well as future supplier Audi.
The teams argued to the FIA that despite Red Bull Powertrains only being established in 2022, they had already gained significant expertise and knowledge that put them ahead of a new entrant.
This was due to the arrival of high-profile personnel such as former Mercedes head of mechanical engineering, Ben Hodgkinson, and five other engineers from the Mercedes factory in Brixworth.
Additionally, Red Bull's extensive knowledge of hybrid and electrification in Formula One, gained through its collaboration with Honda until 2025, was seen as comparable to that of its competitors.
Ferrari President John Elkann and CEO Benedetto Vigna are said to have "asserted the political weight of the Prancing Horse," according to Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport. The newspaper also reported that Ferrari reportedly refused to agree to an FIA document until Red Bull's status was clarified.
The FIA announced last week that six power unit suppliers have been confirmed for 2026. Had Ford chosen to supply a power unit independently, it would have been entitled to extra hours, as is the case with Audi.
Team boss Christian Horner is optimistic about the future of Red Bull Powertrains, which will be rebranded as Red Bull Ford Powertrains from 2026. He believes the first engine entirely made at their Milton Keynes base will be fitted to a Red Bull car later this year.
Horner said to Motorsport Magazine:
“We’ve got 150 weeks left before we have an engine driving out of a pit lane for the first time in the back of a Red Bull car.
“So that focuses the mind, it’s a big challenge. It’s a ballsy undertaking, to think that an independent team can take on those type of manufacturers.
“But again, it comes down to the same culture, the same approach that we’ve had to going racing on the chassis side, and ultimately having everything under one roof and the benefits that brings long-term is significant.
"So that’s taking quite a bit of my time and attention just to make sure that we’re hitting our targets in that area.”