George Russell offers verdict on Red Bull’s 2026 F1 engine after what he saw at Barcelona shakedown

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The first day of testing during the 2026 F1 season was hidden quite well, but a few details have emerged that suggest some teams have got off to a strong start.

As expected, Mercedes were strong with both drivers in the car, lapping all day reliably without many issues.

However, the same could be said down at Red Bull, running their new engine for the first time in an official capacity with Isack Hadjar.

After casting an eye on them all day, George Russell has already delivered his verdict on the Milton Keynes-based outfit’s new power unit for the 2026 F1 regulations.

Are Mercedes the team to beat in 2026? They’ve completed 10 laps more than anyone else at testing after 90 minutes…

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Mercedes won a silly competition at testing by being the very first car out on track, ahead of German rivals Audi.

Mercedes’ ‘greater’ trick gives them an advantage over Ferrari currently, but they’re likely to bring more evolutions that could change the picture.

READ MORE: FIA director accused of having ‘no idea’ about Mercedes’ controversial 2026 engine

George Russell has already decided that Red Bull ‘clearly’ have a good engine for 2026

Ted Kravitz saw something ‘eye-catching’ from Red Bull and was impressed by the lap time that Hadjar set on the first day of testing.

Although everyone is clearly sandbagging at this stage, it was a solid benchmark and a reminder that they are serial champions for a reason.

Max Verstappen ‘shouldn’t’ be able to win at Red Bull, says Alex Palou, but he still finds a way to drag his car to places that it shouldn’t be.

After taking a look at some data and their new car, Russell is already impressed by what he sees from some of his rivals.

“We’re happy with our day, but I’m also impressed by some of the other teams,” he said, according to Sky Sport DE.

“The Red Bull power unit completed a lot of laps, which, given that it’s their first in-house engine, means they’ve clearly done a good job.”

READ MORE: Juan Pablo Montoya says Red Bull are ‘going to pay’ for the risk Laurent Mekies took last year

Why Red Bull were expected to struggle a bit in 2026

Red Bull might not design their 2026 car around Verstappen amid fears he could leave if their performance doesn’t match his expectations.

He has a clause that will allow him to explore options elsewhere if he isn’t in the top two of the drivers’ championship during the summer break.

That’s a lot of pressure to be putting on any team, especially one that have been tasked with making a power unit from scratch for the first time.

Their main priority is bound to be development, but nobody really expects them to be winning from race one, particularly with every surface being new. That would be a tad unrealistic.