Max Verstappen delivers early verdict on Red Bull–Ford power unit after Barcelona testing. Max Verstappen shares his first impressions of Red Bull’s new power unit.

Final day of testing in Barcelona for Verstappen: his verdict on the new Red Bull engine

Today marked the final day of testing in Barcelona. Max Verstappen took to the track with the new Red Bull to complete the programme and, after finishing his laps, shared his verdict on the team’s new engine. From this year, in collaboration with Ford, the team has in fact become a power unit manufacturer.

It is a major challenge for the Milton Keynes-based squad, as even small mistakes could completely compromise the first season of the new regulatory cycle. However, despite the disadvantage compared to more experienced manufacturers such as Mercedes and Ferrari, confidence within the team remains high.

During the five days of private testing in Barcelona, the Austrian outfit ran on all three of the permitted days – Monday, Tuesday and Friday – in order to gather as much data as possible ahead of the official winter tests scheduled to take place in Bahrain in a few weeks’ time.

Until Friday, however, Max Verstappen was not really able to run properly in Barcelona. This was because the team chose to give the entire first day of testing to the new arrival, Isack Hadjar. On Tuesday morning it was the Dutchman’s turn to get on track, but variable conditions limited his running time. In the afternoon, the French driver was back in the car and unfortunately ended the session off track, damaging the car. This prevented the team, which was waiting for spare parts, from running at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya until the final day. Today, Verstappen did not stop for a moment and completed 118 laps, rounding off a solid but not perfect week.

Verstappen’s verdict

One team that currently looks very strong is Mercedes, which completed the highest number of laps this week. The Brackley-based team is also considered the favourite for this year’s constructors’ title, not least because of memories of the dominance it enjoyed following the 2014 regulation changes.

Red Bull, however, is aiming to return to the front and reclaim the position currently occupied by McLaren. According to Verstappen, there is still work to be done, but overall they have “started quite well”. The Barcelona running was about getting to know the new cars, but the real winter tests are still to come, and the Milton Keynes team is ready to work hard to make 2026 a season full of victories.

“It was nice to be back on track this week. The first morning I was in the car I couldn’t do too many laps because of the weather, but Friday was good,” Verstappen said after the final day of testing in Barcelona with the new Red Bull engine. “We did a lot of laps today and that was really the key. We learned a lot and there are obviously still many things we want to look at, but it’s a good start.”

“So much work has gone into this power unit over the past few years and, on the first day [of testing], being able to immediately do so many laps was fantastic to see. There were a lot of emotional faces in the garage and that was really special. Everything is still under development, but we have started quite well,” added the four-time world champion.

“We need time to understand the engine and to make changes to the set-up. We tried to do as many laps as possible and to try as many things as we could during the day. I think we did that well and that was the purpose of this shakedown, and it’s what we will continue to do.”

“It is still a very complicated formula for everyone, which means there is still a lot of work to do before heading to Bahrain. But we will get there and we will keep working,” he concluded.

Max Verstappen’s assessment of the new Red Bull Ford Power Unit provides a glimpse into the immense technical transition currently underway at Milton Keynes. While the 118 laps completed on the final day signify a reliable baseline, Max Verstappen’s reminder that there is “still a lot of work to do” highlights the steep learning curve of becoming a full-fledged manufacturer. By focusing on data collection and understanding the complex energy management of the 2026 regulations, the team is methodically building a foundation to challenge the historical dominance of their rivals. As they transition from the Barcelona shakedown to the heat of Bahrain, the “excited faces” in the garage reflect a team that is not only prepared for the challenge but is energized by the prospect of proving their engineering might in this new era of Formula 1.