Ford executive Mark Rushbrook provides an update on the progress of the new Red Bull power unit. The Austrian team, in collaboration with the American car manufacturer, is developing its own power unit for the first time, and according to Rushbrook, everything is going according to plan so far: ‘It all really comes together when the car is on the track’.
The 2026 season is fast approaching, and Ford, along with Red Bull, is busy with the final phase of developing the Austrian racing team’s first self-made power unit. After a long-term partnership with engine supplier Honda, Red Bull will bring its own engine to the track for the first time in the upcoming season. The moment of truth will come at the end of January when the 2026 cars will be tested for the first time in Barcelona.
Ford executive Mark Rushbrook believes the engine project is looking good so far. “It’s going according to plan and we’re on schedule, but it all really comes together when the car is on the track,” he tells Motorsport.com. “That will be an important day and an important week. Only then will we see if all the work of the past three years has paid off.”
Nervous Anticipation
Rushbrook candidly admits that Ford employees are nervously looking forward to the first test days of 2026. “There’s always some level of anxiety when a new car or engine hits the track for the first time. Our computer tools are great for designing things, our labs are excellent for developing and calibrating the hardware, but you haven’t seen everything until it all comes together on the track.”
The Ford executive then reveals where the current focus lies within Red Bull Powertrains. “It’s mainly about power, performance, reliability, and then drivability,” says Rushbrook. “In terms of the timeline and the goals we set at the start of our program, we’ve met them. The work in recent months has primarily been on drivability and calibration. Some of this can be done with computer models, some in the lab, and another part happens with drivers in the simulator. That’s where the focus is now.”
