Red Bull Powertrains has claimed its first Formula 1 victory after only 16 Grands Prix, turning a project that existed as little more than an ambitious idea five years ago into a race-winning operation. For technical director Ben Hodgkinson, the Sepang success represents the first major validation of an engine programme built virtually from scratch at Milton Keynes.
Recruited from Mercedes by Christian Horner to become one of the foundations of the Powertrains project, Ben Hodgkinson helped assemble the organisation that would eventually allow Red Bull to become a fully integrated constructor capable of producing its own power unit.
Red Bull Powertrains wins after just 16 Formula 1 races
Five years ago, the programme existed largely on paper and was ambitious enough to resemble a major gamble. Today, Red Bull Powertrains can celebrate its first Formula 1 victory after only 16 Grands Prix.
The achievement carries particular significance for Ben Hodgkinson, Red Bull Powertrains’ technical director and one of the central figures involved in creating the programme envisioned by Christian Horner.
When Red Bull decided to take the more difficult route and become a complete constructor by developing its own power unit, Christian Horner identified Ben Hodgkinson as one of the key people around whom the project should be built.
The British engineer moved to Milton Keynes from Mercedes, where he had accumulated extensive experience within High Performance Powertrains, the operation that had dominated the hybrid era beginning in 2014.
Ben Hodgkinson helped build Red Bull’s engine division from scratch
Ben Hodgkinson’s move to Red Bull was much more than a conventional change of team. He became one of the central figures around whom the new Powertrains division began to take shape, while his arrival also helped attract numerous other engineers from Mercedes to Milton Keynes.
Within only a few years, Red Bull created an entirely new organisation tasked with one of motorsport’s most complicated technical challenges: starting from zero and competing against engine manufacturers with decades of experience.
Victory at Sepang provided the first major answer on the track.
“After just sixteen races since the start of our journey, the team has achieved something extraordinary: our first race victory as a Formula 1 power unit manufacturer,” Ben Hodgkinson said.
“Five years ago this project was little more than an ambitious idea, so managing to take our first victory already in our debut season represents a huge milestone and a reward for the entire organisation.”
Sepang victory rewards years of work at Milton Keynes
Ben Hodgkinson’s comments reflected particular pride in how the programme had been built. The Red Bull Powertrains operation that won at Sepang was not an established structure inherited from an earlier manufacturer, but an organisation created by bringing together people, infrastructure, working methods and technical expertise around a single objective.
“More than anything else, it is confirmation of the belief, ambition and hard work that have been invested in the programme since day one.”
“This result is not the product of a single race weekend, one decision or one technical breakthrough. It is the result of years of relentless commitment and thousands of individual contributions from every area of the organisation, whose ambition, mentality and competitive spirit made it possible to achieve something exceptional.”
The Malaysian victory therefore carries significance far beyond the points scored. Red Bull chose to take on an enormous industrial and technological challenge directly, building an engine department at Milton Keynes before subsequently working alongside Ford.
Winning during the project’s first season provides the first concrete indication that the decision is producing results on the track.
Ben Hodgkinson says Red Bull still has ‘a lot to learn’
Ben Hodgkinson was keen to share the achievement with everyone involved across the programme.
“We would like to thank everyone at Red Bull, in Milton Keynes and at Ford who contributed to making this result possible.”
“Winning this early does not mean the work is finished. We still have a huge amount to learn and improve, but this success is important confirmation that we are moving in the right direction.”
The breakthrough also comes during a period of renewed competitiveness for Red Bull and Max Verstappen, with the Sepang victory providing another indication of the progress made after a challenging start to the season.
Singapore provides a very different test for Red Bull Powertrains
The next examination will come in Singapore, where the conditions and circuit characteristics will differ significantly from Sepang.
“The heat, humidity and characteristics of a street circuit will place significant demands on both the car and the power unit,” Ben Hodgkinson explained.
“This first victory will give us confidence, but our objective remains to continue growing and achieve more success.”
The demanding Marina Bay event will also feature a Sprint format, with the full 2026 Singapore Grand Prix schedule leaving teams limited time to optimise their packages before the competitive sessions begin.
Whatever happens next, Red Bull Powertrains now has its first Formula 1 victory. For Ben Hodgkinson, the achievement inevitably carries special meaning: five years after leaving the benchmark engine organisation of the hybrid era to help build a new department virtually from nothing, the project has received its first major confirmation in the place that ultimately matters most — on the racetrack.
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