Despite claims from rivals that it’s 2026’s “benchmark” team, Red Bull says it’s starting the season with the fourth fastest car at best.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said Red Bull was gaining a second on the straights due to the superior energy efficiency of its first-ever F1 Red Bull Powertrains engine – built by a brand-new team that includes plenty of ex-Mercedes High Performance Powertrains employees.

Multiple figures within Red Bull have spoken of being surprised by the level of performance its maiden F1 power unit has already delivered, and there’s been both strong pace and reliability on-track during the Bahrain test.

Those now include technical director Pierre Wache who said on Friday: “I’m surprised that the engine people did a fantastic job and were able to put a car together and run so many miles.”

But he laughed off Wolff’s “benchmark” claim, pointing to the off-track games being played already and instead arguing that “clearly the top three teams – Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren – are in front of us” according to Red Bull’s own data analysis.

“I will not say we are the benchmark because I think everybody knows in this room, that is a game that everybody is playing,” Wache said. 

“But we also have to recognise the fantastic job that the engine people have done.

“As a start-up, to build an engine and to be able to not be stupid on the track is a massive achievement.”

All of these “games” are taking place within the context of a potentially crucial F1 Commission meeting next Wednesday in Bahrain, as further talks will take place over whether changes are needed to the compression ratio tests.

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It’s in every team’s interest to play down their own (or their supplier’s) engine performance level and talk up their rivals’ performance.

Red Bull is now believed to be on the side of Audi, Ferrari and Honda in wanting changes to the compression ratio measurement procedure, which would have ramifications for Mercedes and its customer teams.

Wache said “we are just following what the FIA say” and “we just vote as a PU manufacturer on what we think should be fair for the system”.

He believes Red Bull is actually only fourth fastest at best right now.

“We are not the benchmark for sure. We see clearly the top three teams – Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren – are in front of us, it looks like, from what our analysis is, and we are behind,” Wache explained.

“It’s where we think we are at the moment. It’s difficult to say that about the others because the run plan of everybody, the level of fuel they run, the level of power they run, is difficult to say.

“But it’s currently our analysis, that it could be wrong to be honest. We don’t spend too much time on that, we try to focus on how to improve our own [performance].”

Asked where Red Bull was lacking compared to its three main rivals, Wache said: It’s difficult to say. I think clearly in low speed traction, they look very strong.

“Some straightline speeds are also interesting from a Ferrari and Mercedes, especially on low fuel.

“The problem is the assessment of the performance until we are on the same, exactly the same fuel level in quali in Melbourne, is difficult.

“We see clearly some weakness in our car and we relate it to this weakness and feedback we have from Max [Verstappen] and Isack [Hadjar] on the car based on where we lose that time to the others. That is corresponding, that is why I am saying that.

“Clearly, traction, medium speed corners, that was not our strength already last year. They are stronger than us.” 

Most rivals agree Red Bull’s energy deployment is a key element of its advantage and the data traces from testing so far would certainly support that. 

Wache thinks Red Bull was strong on the opening day of the Bahrain test in that area, but now others are “a little bit better than us” on that front. 

He also said, “We will have to find some weight on the car” to meet the new (lighter by 30 kilograms) 2026 weight limit.

“After all, the philosophy is every time to try to be quicker, not on the weight limit, but it’s a better position than 2022 if you want.”

In 2022 Red Bull was 15kg over the weight limit in pre-season, although just like in 2022, Red Bull’s far from alone in having weight challenges for 2026, as Williams has already admitted to being above the limit.