F1 | Red Bull faces early warning for new RBPT-Ford power unit in Bahrain tests. A serious issue with the new RBPT-Ford power unit on the Racing Bulls car raises early concerns.

Red Bull shone during the F1 Bahrain tests, but the first warning sign for the new RBPT-Ford power unit has emerged.

The first day of testing in Bahrain was largely positive for Red Bull, yet it was not entirely free of issues for the team’s new RBPT-Ford power unit project. According to paddock reports, the Racing Bulls team encountered a serious engine problem that prevented rookie Arvid Lindblad from returning to the track in the afternoon session.

Lindblad had completed 75 laps in the morning session, gathering crucial data on the new technical package. In the afternoon, however, the car remained in the garage while an internal investigation was launched to determine the origin of the anomaly.

Does Red Bull have a problem with the Ford power unit?

Official details about the nature of the issue have not yet been released, but this marks the first real setback for the new RBPT-Ford unit during this stage of development. Importantly, the situation did not affect the main Red Bull team. Max Verstappen carried out an intense program without any problems, finishing the day with 136 laps—the highest overall mileage of the session.

The Dutch driver ended the day in second place on the timing sheets, just behind Lando Norris, demonstrating both a strong pace and, most importantly, high reliability. Verstappen and Lindblad will not be on track the following day. Instead, Liam Lawson will take over for Red Bull, and Isack Hadjar will drive for Racing Bulls, both set for a full day of testing.

The performance of the RBPT-Ford unit did not go unnoticed. Toto Wolff admitted that Mercedes struggled to match Red Bull’s level of energy deployment and consistent pace during the first day.

This is a signal that, despite the problem encountered with the sister car, the new power unit could represent a significant strength for the Milton Keynes team in the upcoming season. The key question now is whether the issue seen on the Racing Bulls car is an isolated case or a warning signal to watch closely in the coming days of testing.