Red Bull Ford power unit shines in Bahrain as Laurent Mekies hails “remarkable” reliability. Laurent Mekies praises the reliability of the new Red Bull-Ford power unit .

A young engine, but already solid

In a paddock where almost no one was willing to make bold claims about outright performance, mileage became the true indicator of technical strength. On that front, the new Red Bull-Ford power unit stood out: second only to Mercedes in average laps completed, with 368 laps compared to the German manufacturer’s 388.

Mekies was keen to acknowledge the efforts of the engine department:

“After two weeks of testing in Bahrain, we should be proud of what we have achieved compared to established power unit manufacturers. The mileage we completed across nine days of shakedown and testing is respectable. As I have already said, it is truly remarkable and reflects all the hours of hard work carried out by the staff at the factory.”

For a brand-new engine project making its competitive debut, this represents a highly encouraging signal.

Performance still to be assessed, focus on Melbourne

If reliability exceeded expectations, the performance chapter remains open. No one at Red Bull wants to draw premature conclusions, and Mekies made that clear:

“Despite all our technology and simulation tools, only after Saturday qualifying at Albert Park will we have a partial understanding of the hierarchy in the pit lane. Then we will start racing. We know there is hard work ahead of us to reach the level we desire. It is our next mountain to climb, and we will do it together, as one team.”

The message combines realism with ambition: the foundation is solid, but the journey has only just begun.

The RB22 leaves Bahrain with a surprisingly reliable engine and a project that appears to have successfully navigated its most delicate phase — its operational debut.

The true measure of its potential will come in Melbourne, when the track provides a clearer picture of the 2026 competitive order. Red Bull-Ford has built strong foundations; now the question is how high this new partnership can climb.

As the new partnership between Red Bull and Ford begins, early testing data suggests that their 2026 power unit is already matching the reliability of veteran manufacturers, providing a stable platform for the RB22. While the team remains cautious about their ultimate pace, the successful completion of high-mileage programs in Bahrain confirms that the technical foundation is robust enough to challenge for the upcoming season.