Christian Horner, Red Bull team principal, addressed concerns regarding Honda’s 2026 F1 engine project, acknowledging the difficulties that the Japanese manufacturer is currently facing.
Some significant changes planned for the 2026 season must be taken into close consideration, including enhanced electrical systems, the removal of the MGU-H, and the introduction of fully sustainable fuels. This marks one of the most substantial overhauls since 2014, when the hybrid era began.
Honda in trouble? Christian Horner speaks out
Honda was instrumental in Red Bull’s success. Their partnership began in 2019, after a season with Toro Rosso. This collaboration led to Max Verstappen’s win in the 2021 Drivers’ Championship. However, from 2026, Red Bull plans to develop its own engines in-house, while Honda will focus on Aston Martin, creating a new chapter in their F1 journey.
However, some voices suggest that Honda’s engine program might be delayed. Christian Horner defended the company, citing the complexity of restarting the project. “It’s a great challenge. They dissolved their project and then restarted it,” he explained. “They may have lost some time because of this, but they are a very capable company and they have great strength.”
Despite the obstacles, Christian Horner expressed confidence in Honda’s ability to deliver a competitive unit by 2026. “I’m sure they will have a competitive unit in 2026,” he added.
While Honda faces its challenges, Red Bull is also embarking on an ambitious project to build its own engine in-house, with Ford serving as a technical partner. Christian Horner acknowledged the upcoming difficulties, stating: “It takes much more time, but it’s a great challenge for us to produce our engine from scratch. But we are doing well, we will be competitive.” – the Red Bull team boss concluded.
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