F1 | Rivals are already copying Red Bull: why Milton Keynes is in the spotlight
The Red Bull project for the 2026 Formula 1 season is drawing significant attention, and it seems rivals are already “copying” Milton Keynes. The Austrian team has impressed many in the paddock, and Alpine’s managing director, Steve Nielsen, openly acknowledged the admiration for Red Bull’s ability to build a high-potential Power Unit from scratch. It is still early to gauge their exact position on the grid, but many believe that Max Verstappen’s team deliberately “kept a low profile” during the Bahrain tests.
Formula 1 has always been the kingdom of “copycats.” Whenever a solution proves effective—whether it is a device on the car or a management strategy—the rest of the grid is ready to reinterpret it and make it their own. This is one of the reasons why, at the start of a technical cycle, teams may appear very different on track, but over the seasons, concepts gradually converge toward a nearly uniform approach.
However, as mentioned, this isn’t just about engineering or technical innovation. Sometimes, a team’s organizational approach can also shake up the beliefs of rival teams. This is precisely what is happening with Red Bull and their Power Unit project in recent months. The concept, developed in collaboration with Ford and built from the ground up, has produced, at least based on what was seen in Bahrain, decidedly positive results.
Nielsen: “We are all shameless copycats”
“Red Bull has done an extraordinary job,” Steve Nielsen told GPBlog. “Honestly, when we discussed this a few days ago, four years ago that Power Unit manufacturer was just a hole in the ground at Milton Keynes. And look at them today: they made it happen. It’s incredible work.”
“Honestly, they have done very well, and it’s thanks to everyone involved. Our job is to do better than them and try to beat them. But no, they really did an excellent job. I mean, we are all shameless copycats. We watch whatever the others do, on track and off, and if we like it, we copy it. We analyze their speeds, cornering, energy management—everything. And the others do the same with us.”
The rapid transformation of Milton Keynes from a construction site into a world-class engine facility is perhaps the most significant structural shift in the 2026 landscape. By bringing both chassis and engine development under one roof, Red Bull has created a level of integration that even established manufacturers are now scrambling to emulate. Steve Nielsen’s candid admission that the paddock is full of “shameless plagiarists” underscores the reality of modern F1: innovation is rare, but the speed of imitation is what truly decides championships. If Red Bull’s “hole in the ground” has indeed produced a competitive Power Unit on its first attempt, the rest of the grid will be forced to spend the 2026 season playing a frantic game of catch-up.
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