Marko confident 2026 Red Bull-Ford power unit will surprise

(GMM) Dr Helmut Marko (pictured, center) says Red Bull is satisfied with progress on its all-new 2026 Red Bull-Ford power unit, despite long-running expectations that the team will struggle in its first year as a full-works engine manufacturer.

“Internally, we’re satisfied,” Marko told reporters. “But like the others, we don’t know our competitors’ data. It’s not just about the combustion engine, it’s also about the fuel and the battery and the car. And I think that’s a big advantage for us.”

Marko said the team holds one trump card regardless of final engine performance – Max Verstappen, who is signed until 2028.

“The driver has to be smart and intelligent in using the battery power,” he said. “And there’s one driver who can drive quickly and think on his feet. So that should be an advantage.”

Red Bull chief engineer Paul Monaghan echoed the uncertainty surrounding the new regulations.

Red Bull Racing Head of Car Engineering Paul Monaghan looks on in the garage during day two of F1 Testing at Bahrain International Circuit on February 24, 2023 in Bahrain, Bahrain. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

“It’s such a large departure from what we’ve done before,” he said. “Some people may hit the ground running and others may struggle. That will produce perhaps a bigger grid spread than we currently have.”

He explained that energy deployment will play a far bigger role in 2026.

“We back off the wings on the straights, the energy peters out quite quickly – then how do you recover?” Monaghan said. “If a driver deploys his energy differently and you’re a little bit inefficient, an overtake becomes quite feasible.”

Monaghan warned the early races could be unpredictable.

“We may not be as closed up as we currently are. And with completely new cars and new electronics – will everybody make it to the end? Don’t know. We’ll find out.”