Red Bull Chief Praises Horner's Role in Building 2026 Power Unit

Red Bull's managing director, Oliver Mintzlaff, has publicly credited team principal Christian Horner for his pivotal role in establishing the team's in-house power unit division. This ambitious project, set to debut under the new 2026 regulations, is a direct fulfillment of a long-held dream by the late founder Dietrich Mateschitz. Mintzlaff admitted his initial reaction to the costly endeavor was one of shock.

Why it matters:

Building a power unit from scratch is Formula 1's most complex and expensive challenge. For Red Bull, a team that has dominated the hybrid era with customer engines, becoming a full-fledged manufacturer represents the ultimate step in controlling its own destiny. Success would cement a new legacy of dominance, while failure could set the team back for years and jeopardize its competitive edge.

The details:

• Mintzlaff recalled his shock when first learning of the plan from Mateschitz, telling De Telegraaf, "I thought to myself: What the f*ck, what does that mean? And then I also heard how much it would cost..."
• He was quick to shift to praise for Horner, stating, "kudos to Christian Horner for finding the right people for that department."
• The project, known as Red Bull Powertrains (RBPT), will be powered by a technical partnership with Ford, marking a return to F1 for the American automaker.
• This move comes after their previous partner, Honda, decided to switch to a works partnership with Aston Martin from 2026, leaving Red Bull to pursue its long-term goal of self-sufficiency.

What's next:

The 2026 season presents a monumental challenge, with simultaneous overhauls to both power unit and chassis regulations, making the transition even more difficult. Mintzlaff remains hopeful, expressing his desire to "make Dietrich's big dream come true, that we'll win again in the new era and write new success stories." The team's confidence is bolstered by having Max Verstappen committed to its future, providing a star driver to lead the charge with their new in-house engine.