RED BULL

After successful partnerships with Renault (latterly disguised as TAG-Heuer) and Honda, Red Bull's engine department goes it alone this year.

- 

First entry 2005 Australian/Races entered 418 Constructors' titles 6/ Drivers' titles 8/2026 car RB22-Ford

Well, sort of, seeing as the power unit is a joint project between the team and Ford Motor Company, marking the first time one of the team's cars has been powered by the Blue Oval since its dark days as Jaguar between 2000-2004.

It's a bold step, but a quick glance at the results sheets shows you that Red Bull won multiple world titles with both its aforementioned engine partners, and its engineers were heavily involved toward the end of the Honda project. Boardroom shuffles appear to have refreshed the team internally, but can it dig itself out of being the single-driver effort that has stifled its Constructors' challenge in recent years? Pleasing Max is one thing, but it takes two to succeed in this game.

'A lot of noise about nothing. Red Bull's power gamble

The political whispers between engine manufacturers are already rising ahead of the start of the 2026 F1 season

It doesn't take long for the Formula 1 rumour mill to begin swirling, and even before a new-generation engine had run in public, chatter began about early advantages for some manufacturers. However, Red Bull Powertrains boss Ben Hodgkinson played down the growing controversy as “a lot of noise about nothing” and insists all manufacturers will ultimately converge on the same rules limits.

The debate centres on the compression ratio of the new 2026 power units, which combine a heavily electrified hybrid system with a smaller internal combustion engine.