The first nine days on track have allowed Red Bull to complete more than 2,000 laps with its own in-house Power Unit. The journey that began in February 2023 has now delivered its first tangible results, and both performance and reliability from the Milton Keynes-built engine immediately impressed observers across the paddock.
On the final day of testing, Isack Hadjar and Max Verstappen split driving duties. The French driver completed 59 laps in the morning session, setting a best time of 1:34.511, while the Dutchman added 65 laps in the afternoon and recorded the third-fastest overall time of the day with a 1:33.109. The race simulation carried out on Thursday demonstrated that Red Bull belongs firmly in the leading group alongside Mercedes, McLaren and Ferrari. However, official verdicts will only come once the cars hit the track in Melbourne.
Verstappen satisfied but demanding: “The team has done a great job, but we must keep pushing to be faster”
The four-time world champion will race without the number 1 on his car for the first time in five years and will take on the role of the hunter after seasons of dominance. His assessment of the final week of testing was largely positive, yet characteristically demanding.
“This week has been a good start. Regarding my laps in the car, we practically completed the entire program, which is positive because we have a lot of data to review and analyze. Heading into testing in Bahrain, I think we prepared in the best possible way and the Team did a great job to get us where we are now,” said the Red Bull driver.
“Obviously, it’s clear that there’s still a lot of work to do to become faster, so that’s what we will focus on. We’ll see what happens in Melbourne: it will be great to go racing again, but we still need to work hard.”
The Albert Park layout will present different challenges compared to Sakhir, and the performance seen — and in some cases deliberately not fully shown — in Bahrain could shift once the cars run in cooler conditions and on a very different type of asphalt.
Hadjar ready despite setbacks in Bahrain
Isack Hadjar’s two weeks in Bahrain were more complicated, with two sessions out of six lost due to issues on the RB22. Nevertheless, the French driver declared himself ready for the season opener.
“Out of six sessions, we lost two, and that’s a lot. But we always made sure to stay united and maximize the remaining track time we had available to adapt. There was never a dull moment. I feel as ready as possible heading into Melbourne. The guys did a great job extracting the maximum from the tests: we analyzed many different elements, and I’m happy with the level of understanding I now have of the car.”
The challenge awaiting him is undoubtedly one of the toughest in the paddock: to get close to the performance level of Max Verstappen and to last longer than his two predecessors in the same seat. At Red Bull, expectations are always high, and the internal benchmark is among the most demanding in Formula 1.
Mekies: pride for the new Power Unit, but performance answers will come in Australia
“For the sport as a whole, the three sessions held in Barcelona and Bahrain have been fascinating from many points of view: the Power Unit technology, the fuel, the aerodynamics, the different tire dimensions and, as always at the center of everything, the drivers explaining how these cars behave on track. I believe interest in F1 will be sky-high when we arrive in Melbourne,” Mekies summarized at the end of the nine testing days across Spain and Bahrain.
Echoing his lead driver, the Red Bull Team Principal also reflected on the first weeks on track for the Red Bull Ford Powertrains project.
“On our side, those first sessions in Barcelona were a source of relief and pride, especially regarding the results we have managed to achieve so far with the very first Red Bull Ford Powertrains PU,” the Frenchman said. “After two weeks of testing in Bahrain, we can be proud of what we’ve accomplished compared to established manufacturers: the mileage we completed over nine days of shakedown and testing is respectable. As I’ve already said, this is truly remarkable and is a testament to all the hours of hard work put in by those who remained at the factory.”
The discussion about outright performance is postponed until Australia, where the first real answers of the 2026 season will emerge.
“Even with all our technology and simulation tools, only after Saturday qualifying at Albert Park will we get a partial idea of the hierarchy in the pit lane, and then we’ll move to the race. We know there is hard work ahead to reach the level we want. It is our next mountain to climb, and we will do it together, as one team,” concluded the Red Bull Team Principal.
As the team packs its crates for the trip Down Under, the mood in Milton Keynes is one of cautious triumph. They have proven that they can build a competitive engine from scratch, but the “mountain” Mekies speaks of is the relentless development war that defines Formula 1. In a season where every manufacturer is starting from zero, Red Bull’s ability to maintain this early reliability while hunting for raw pace will determine if they can return to the top step of the podium.
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