A few days ago, we analyzed the Red Bull power unit situation following rumors from GPBlog.com suggesting that the Milton Keynes team would be unable—even if they wanted to—to introduce an engine update should they fall within the minimum 2% performance gap behind the leaders. This follows the anticipated results of ICE power measurements scheduled to take place in Miami.
This rumor has been partially confirmed in a recent interview with The Race by Red Bull Team Principal Laurent Mekies. While analyzing the discussions surrounding ADUO developments, Mekies was blunt about the team’s current status: “You are asking me if we would be ready to introduce an ADUO update immediately if we fell within that 2% margin? Probably not,” the manager responded sharply.
Red Bull considers a more substantial step after mid-season
“The regulations force you to choose your moment carefully, considering that you still have to complete the season using only four power units. Therefore, you must try to make steps that are sufficiently large. Realistically, I don’t believe we will introduce an updated engine in the first part of the season. Perhaps we will bring something in the second half, before entering the 2027 window,” Mekies stated, leaving the door open for a single, major upgrade.
Aside from the slight delays compared to Mercedes, some believe that the engine currently mounted in the RB22 might not even qualify for ADUO adjustments. For Red Bull Powertrains, while this would make the road to recovery more complex, it is still seen as a positive sign. This is, after all, the first power unit entirely built in Milton Keynes with Ford’s collaboration. “There was a margin of risk. Building a power unit in-house could have damaged the project for two or three years. We can now say that the ghosts regarding the power unit can be considered gone,” he concluded with satisfaction.
While the immediate lack of an ADUO update might seem like a setback for Red Bull’s short-term competitiveness, the long-term outlook remains optimistic. By focusing on a single, more substantial leap in performance later in the 2026 campaign, the team aims to maximize its development tokens and reliability. The fact that their first-ever home-grown engine is already performing at a respectable level is a testament to the engineering strength at Milton Keynes as they transition into this new era of Formula 1.
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