Producing power units completely independently is a huge challenge, and one widely seen as something that hurts the team\u2019s 2026 chances.<\/p>\n
According to Laurent Mekies, however, the team are ready for the task.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/SI202511070309_hires_jpeg_24bit_rgb-1024x683.jpg\")
Laurent Mekies, Team Principal of Oracle Red Bull Racing. (Photo by Mark Thompson\/Getty Images) \/\/ Getty Images \/ Red Bull Content Pool
\nMekies discusses Red Bull\u2019s engine challenge<\/p>\n
Red Bull\u2019s switch from Renault to Honda engines in 2019 was largely motivated by their frustrations as a customer team. The Milton Keynes outfit felt the Japanese manufacturer could give them the benefits of fully integrating their power units with their cars.<\/p>\n
One of the main vulnerabilities for customer teams is being forced to work around the engines (and sometimes gearboxes) they are supplied with.<\/p>\n
Because of this, Red Bull preferred to start their own engine department for 2026 when Honda<\/a> announced their intention of leaving F1. Ironically, Honda\u2019s U-turn and decision to continue supplying engines in 2026 have benefited Adrian Newey\u2019s Aston Martin<\/a>.<\/p>\n That aside, Laurent Mekies, there is little sense in downplaying the magnitude of what his personnel face. The Frenchman is fully aware of the obstacles, especially early on, his team will face.<\/p>\n Simultaneously, he points towards the progress made in assembling a competent group of engineers for engine production:<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s the craziest decisions one can take,\u201d he told gpblog<\/a> about Red Bull making their own engines.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd that\u2019s how we feel. It was a crazy, crazy call \u2013 probably a call that only Red Bull can make.\u00a0 So we started in this field \u2013 we now have a building, we have the dynos, we have 600 people. <\/p>\n \u201cSo we will try to fight against people that have been doing it for 90 years. We love the challenge, we love that idea, it\u2019s very Red Bull. Very proud to do it with Ford.<\/p>\n \u201cIt would be na\u00efve to think that we are going to land in the top spot straight away. We know we are going to have a few very, very tough months, many sleepless nights, a few headaches.<\/p>\n \u201cBut it\u2019s also part of the privilege to be associated with this sort of challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n A team with Red Bull\u2019s winning history is not programmed to aim for anything less than Championships. In 2026, however, the top step of the podium will be very difficult for the team to reach.<\/p>\n Over the last twenty years, Red Bull have shown repeatedly they should not be underestimated.<\/p>\n This also applies for their transition into becoming engine suppliers. Having signed hundreds of personnel \u2013 including many from rivals Mercedes \u2013 their power unit department is very well equipped.<\/p>\n It should also be noted that hundreds of Renault employees were told to abandon work on the 2026 engines last year \u2013 as it was announced Alpine<\/a>\u00a0would become a customer team.<\/p>\n This was a blessing for both Red Bull and Audi, who suddenly had a new pool of engine technicians they could approach. Mercedes are understood to have over 700 employees working on their powertrains.<\/p>\n For Red Bull to have already assembled 600 personnel for their engines is a very significant feat.<\/p>\n In combination with the infrastructure being assembled behind the scenes, the Austrian team should not be written off as automatic backmarkers for next season.<\/p>\n Of course, this does not mean they are title favourites either. The first success for Red Bull would be to have an engine on a similar level to the veteran manufacturers \u2013 Mercedes, Ferrari<\/a> and Honda.<\/p>\n Should Mekies\u2019 team lose a few tenths exclusively on the engine side, this would not necessarily be a surprise. The question is whether they are close enough to give their aerodynamic department a chance to compensate and close the gap.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/SI202512050680_hires_jpeg_24bit_rgb-1024x683.jpg\")
Laurent Mekies, Team Principal of Oracle Red Bull Racing. (Photo by Bryn Lennon\/Getty Images) \/\/ Getty Images \/ Red Bull Content Pool
\nTight deadlines<\/p>\n