For the 2026 season and onwards, Red Bull will be building their own Power Units from scratch. For that, the Milton-Keynes-based outfit have recently inducted a new technical partner that will play a crucial role in swaying the advantage in their favor over their rivals, per F1Maximaal.nl.
According to Ben Hodgkinson, the man at the helm of the project, their partnership with Siemens Tech will enable the team to break free from their ‘Honda‘ shackles and embark on their new journey.
Red Bull Ford Powertrains To Use Siemens Xcelerator Software https://t.co/sOJQEHnYcp pic.twitter.com/cBm6arJ6qd
— FordAuthority (@FordAuthority) November 20, 2023
After their bittersweet time with Honda as their engine partner, the Bulls have decided to partner with Ford for the upcoming engine rules reset that begins in 2026. The two motor racing goliaths have already begun working on their bespoke F1 Power Unit. That being said, this will be the very first time that Red Bull will be designing an F1 engine and IP from scratch.
That’s exactly why Hodgkinson believes Siemens to be the perfect partner to bring on board. He explained, “It is especially a challenge because we do not have the luxury of data from the past. Every part, down to the nuts and bolts of the engine, has to be created from scratch. This means that the design quality and ease of use of Siemens NX, together with Teamcenter’s lifecycle management, are critical factors for success.”
Red Bull and Honda cut ties as 2026 looms over the horizon
Powered by Honda, Red Bull became acquainted with F1 success once again. However, the Japanese giants have been blowing hot and cold ever since. They first announced their departure from the sport in 2020. They were scheduled to bow out after the 2021 season. This prompted the Bulls to set up ‘Red Bull Powertrains (RBPT).‘ However, they’ve returned with only their ‘branding’ on the RB19 this year.
What’s more, they’ve also now registered their interest as an engine manufacturer for 2026 independent of Red Bull. Currently, the Bulls use the Honda engine IP to maintain and manufacture Power Units until the end of 2025 under the RBPT banner. However, in 2026, they will be entering their first handcrafted F1 engine in collaboration with Ford.
Red Bull has “released” photos of a very early development unit (labeled #121) of their 2026 ICE. Lots of speculation going around, but I’m pretty sure this thing is real. #F1 #RBPT #V6 #Siemens #Honda pic.twitter.com/EOuFzGlahh
— Rex the Hunt – Maxu Dhabi (@RexTheHunt) November 21, 2023
Christian Horner himself isn’t the biggest fan of the 2026 engine regulations. According to the Briton, the latest era of F1 engines would introduce alien techniques of driving not in line with the ideals of Grand Prix racing. For instance, drivers would have to shift down on long straights to eke out the maximum performance. Hence, he’s urged the FIA and F1 to rework the rules out.
