It is no secret that Formula 1 will kick off a new era starting in the 2026 season, the year in which the new power unit regulations will come into force, a necessary cycle change and that some manufacturers have been requesting. for a long time.
The new engines will mean a great transformation: the systems will be able to rely on up to 50% electric power, the power of the ERS will be increased to 350 kW, the MGU-H will disappear, 100% sustainable fuel will be used and many other changes.
Each regulatory change, whether at the technical level of the single-seater or more focused on the power units, modifies the rules of the game and with it the hierarchical order of the grid. Currently, it is Red Bull who dominates with an iron fist and, to try to keep that that way, they have already taken several steps forward thinking about 2026.
Although it is true that Honda officially left Formula 1, it still maintains links through which it collaborates with those of Milton Keynes. One of the reasons why Toto Wolff , director of Mercedes, believes that Red Bull is one of the clear favorites for the future.
“They will be in very good shape in 2026, I have no doubt. They have a big advantage in that, whatever they do, they can help from Honda, who are leaders in this sector.
After the goodbye of Honda, the Austrians launched a project called Red Bull Powetrains that focused all its focuses on the construction of its own engine by 2026, a department that on August 4 already launched its first prototype.
“That powertrain has already been ripped, they know what it can do, what its features are, and therefore they know what targets to set.
“They have hired good people, they have invested a lot in this and you can see the ambition they have for this project. Of course we have to consider Red Bull as a serious rival,” he said.
Red Bull Powertrains has brought in a number of employees from other teams on the grid, including Mercedes. However, the German team manager said he did not feel sorry for having lost some members of his team.
“These movements cannot be avoided. If a person wants to leave, let them go. I have no problem with people leaving us. But yes, we have lost employees who are very good and others who are not so good” .
“We continue to have a responsibility to rebuild from within and fully prepare for the next generation of engines,” concluded Toto Wolff in an exclusive interview for the New York Times .
