Engines for 2026
As has been known for some time now, Formula 1 engine engineers they are preparing for the revolution that will take place in 2026when the electric power of the power units will increase from the current 120 kW (163 hp) to 350 kW (476 hp). Six manufacturers will supply the ten teams on the starting grid: Audi, Ferrari, Honda, Mercedes, Red Bull-Ford and Renault.
However, there is a big question mark hanging over the latter, given that it has not been excluded that the Alpine – which was supposed to mount the transalpine engines – could turn to another manufacturer and in this sense there has been much talk of Mercedes. According to what the Germans reported, Car, Motor and Sport, this negotiation would have McLaren and Williams annoyedwho had already extended their respective agreements with the Stuttgart company until 2030 and 2031 respectively.
Zak Brown’s Move
In particular the McLaren has reportedly been looking around latelygiven that the contract with Mercedes “it wouldn’t prevent talking to other builders”. The CEO Zak Brown has in fact knocked on the door of Red Bull, as confirmed by himself at Silverstone: “I have a great relationship with Jim Farley at Ford. We met last year and we visited the RBPT factory, but all this before we decided to renew with Mercedes”.
Car, Motor and Sport However, he reported some Backstory which insinuate that contacts between the parties did not end in November 2023 (the date of the extension): “As they say around, The interest didn’t stop with the visit. It appears Brown has been in contact with Red Bull about a possible engine partnership recently. And on the RBPT side there was some surprise about the timing of the request.”
But after Austria…
However, it will not escape the most attentive that Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren, was one of the most heated rivals at a dialectical level of Christian Horner, team principal of Red Bull. And therefore a perspective of a Red Bull powered McLaren It’s quite singular. The American has been on the front lines both at the time of the scandal involving the British driver, and in recent days, when McLaren and Red Bull have been torn to pieces following the accident in Austria between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen.
Brown did not deny the reconstruction of the German newspaper and commented with a smile: “I don’t think I can go back there at the moment…”.
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