Laurent Mekies reveals the ‘key competitive advantage’ Ford will give Red Bull during 2026

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Red Bull Racing team principal Laurent Mekies has been speaking about the manufacturer’s new partnership with Ford for the upcoming Formula 1 campaign.

Ford are making a return to the grid as a power unit supplier for the first time since 2004 this season.

After producing engines for Jordan and Jaguar, Red Bull took over the latter in 2005, ending Ford’s presence on the grid.

Now, after Red Bull failed to move forward with a partnership with Porsche, they’ve given the giant American automotive company an opportunity to win their first race as a power unit manufacturer since 2003.

What do you make of Max Verstappen’s preparations for the 2026 Formula 1 season?

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The pressure is on, as Red Bull know that an underperforming car could lead Max Verstappen to consider his future with the team.

Red Bull’s bonus structure suggests they aren’t too confident heading into 2026; however, Laurent Mekies is far more positive ahead of pre-season.

Speaking at the team’s livery launch event in Detroit, Mekies pinpointed exactly where Ford could be crucial to delivering success for Red Bull and Racing Bulls.

READ MORE: All you need to know about Red Bull team principal and CEO Laurent Mekies

Laurent Mekies thinks Ford give Red Bull a ‘key competitive advantage’ by lowering production times

Mekies was asked on the Bloomberg Hot Pursuit podcast where Ford have been helping Red Bull.

He said: “Look, they have been helping us on many different topics, and that list of topics is expanding every day.

“But let me give you a couple of practical examples. Jim’s team have unique advanced manufacturing capabilities that we use to produce some of the most critical parts of our engine, and not only are they able to manufacture these parts for us, but also they do it in less time than we would do otherwise.

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“And that gives us a crucial… You know, our business is a time-to-market business.

“We call it a time to race business. And when we are able to manufacture complex components in a shorter amount of time at this incredible level of quality, that’s what we’re looking for, that’s the key competitive advantage.”

READ MORE: All you need to know about Red Bull Racing from engine to Ford links

Helmut Marko backs Max Verstappen to have ‘huge’ 2026 advantage

Ford replacing Honda as Red Bull’s power unit supplier isn’t the only change happening at the Milton Keynes-based manufacturer this year.

Much is made of drivers needing a full pre-season to get up to speed, but the winter break has also given Mekies time to prepare for his first full campaign in charge of the team.

Helmut Marko has now moved on, as has Will Courtenay, as he takes up a senior strategist role at McLaren.

It will be interesting to see how Verstappen copes without the veteran Austrian by his side in the paddock.

Marko has backed Verstappen to thrive in 2026 despite the new technical regulations.

It’s hard to disagree with Marko, as all of the evidence we’ve seen throughout Verstappen’s career suggests he’s going to be near the front of the grid.

However, that is dependent on the car and engine that Red Bull and Ford deliver, and while Mekies is quietly confident, they don’t know where Mercedes, Ferrari, Audi and Honda sit at this moment in time.