Red Bull’s 2025 season began with an RB21 that is not always easy to understand and, especially, to push to the limit. Despite this, Max Verstappen‘s talent and the team’s work allowed them to seal the victory at the Japanese Grand Prix in early April. While most of the attention is on the current season, work is underway in Milton Keynes for the next regulatory cycle. The new regulations will focus heavily on the 2026 power units, with Red Bull seemingly facing several issues, leading to the possibility of extending the agreement with Honda.
Honda joined Red Bull in 2019 when the Japanese giant began supplying components to Max Verstappen’s team. The power unit saw exponential growth in performance, especially on the hybrid side, with meticulous management of the MGU-H. This power unit also allowed Milton Keynes’ team to win 3 drivers’ championships and 2 constructors’ championships in this current regulatory cycle.
However, this partnership is set to end after 2025, at least according to official communications from both parties. From 2026 onwards, Red Bull will introduce its first Power Unit, developed in collaboration with Ford, while Honda will move to Silverstone to power the Aston Martin team.
Recently, rumors have increased exponentially regarding the next generation of engines, which will have an equal power output between thermal and electric sources. This has raised many concerns for Mercedes, which in recent weeks has been credited with developing a stratospheric power unit.
Red Bull: The 2026 PU struggles, Honda to the rescue?
Details from the Jeddah paddock reveal an extremely complex development process for the first RBPT Power Unit. According to reports from Motor.es, Red Bull is facing significant difficulties in integrating the thermal and electric components.
Engineers are reportedly struggling to integrate the two parts, even though they work well separately. This is obviously a problem, given that the power output needs to be balanced between the thermal and electric sources.
This situation is raising tensions in Milton Keynes, and a crazy idea has emerged, stemming from the numerous rumors in the paddock. It seems that someone has even suggested continuing with Honda into 2026, alongside Aston Martin as another team powered by the Japanese manufacturer.
However, the debut of the RBPT engine will not be postponed to 2027 but will be entrusted to the Racing Bulls, which would serve as a testbed. The Faenza team would then act as a mobile laboratory for the new power unit, with all the necessary updates and modifications to improve the first RBPT engine.
If this scenario were pursued, it would resemble a repeat of 2018, when Toro Rosso first received Honda engines before they debuted on Red Bull as well.
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