Horner: Ricciardo Could Have Been Champion; Red Bull's New PU Impresses Brown

Christian Horner has admitted Daniel Ricciardo could have won a World Championship with a better Red Bull car during his peak, while McLaren's Zak Brown acknowledged the impressive early form of Red Bull's new in-house power unit during 2026 testing.

Why it matters:

Horner's candid reflection highlights a significant 'what if' in recent F1 history, underscoring how car performance ultimately dictates a driver's title chances. Simultaneously, Red Bull's apparent engine progress with Ford signals a potential shift in the power unit hierarchy, which could disrupt the competitive order established by Mercedes, Ferrari, and Honda.

The details:

• Ricciardo's Missed Chance: Horner, the former Red Bull team principal, stated Ricciardo had the talent to be champion during his 2014-2018 stint with the team, but the machinery wasn't competitive enough to challenge Mercedes' dominance.
• Red Bull-Ford Powertrains Debut: The new Red Bull-Ford power unit, developed in-house for the first time by Red Bull Powertrains, made a strong first impression during its shakedown in Barcelona. McLaren CEO Zak Brown called its performance "very strong," while jokingly wishing it was less competitive given the rivalry between their teams.
• Newey's Aston Martin Landmark: Adrian Newey revealed his first F1 car for Aston Martin, the AMR26, features the most extreme and tightly packaged design the team has ever attempted, drawing significant attention in the paddock upon its reveal.
• Limited Testing Coverage: Sky F1 confirmed only the final hour of each day during the second pre-season test in Bahrain will be broadcast live, with full coverage expected to resume for the final test later in February.
• Hamilton's Ferrari Visit: Lewis Hamilton shared an image from a visit to Maranello, peeking under the covers of Michael Schumacher's legendary, dominant title-winning Ferrari F2004 car.

What's next:

The focus shifts to the ongoing pre-season testing in Bahrain, where the true performance of new cars like the Aston Martin AMR26 and the reliability of new power units like Red Bull's will begin to crystallize. Horner's comments add a layer of historical perspective as Ricciardo settles into his post-retirement ambassador role, while the grid prepares for a season where engine performance could be a major differentiator.