Red Bull might have a ‘perfect’ advantage that Max Verstappen will love in the 2026 F1 engine race

Follow us on Google Discover

The new regulations coming to Formula 1 in 2026 have become a contentious issue. No one knows where the teams are in terms of development, and not many drivers are excited about it.

The new rules will see a 50/50 split between internal combustion and electrical power for the engines, as well as a radical new design for the cars and Pirelli tyres. It is arguably the shake-up of the regulations to date, and it is causing concerns.

Drivers were ‘very critical’ of the 2026 cars after testing them in the simulator. There are fears that they will have to lift and coast on the straights to recharge the battery, and there are general concerns about the competitiveness of the engine, most notably at Red Bull.

The Milton Keynes outfit will become an engine manufacturer in 2026 through Red Bull Powertrains, in collaboration with Ford. The team are under pressure to build a title contender next year as Max Verstappen weighs up his options for the future.

Verstappen was linked with Mercedes earlier in 2025 as Toto Wolff ramped up the efforts to sign him amid Red Bull’s regression in development. The Dutchman has since committed to his team for 2026 as he wants to see the pecking order, and he has a reason to be excited about his chances.

Many believe that the new regulations would put a larger emphasis on the driver’s ability rather than the car. This immediately gives Verstappen an advantage over the field; he has clearly shown he is the best on the grid over the last four years.

Red Bull’s ‘state-of-the-art’ facilities could be the perfect ‘advantage’ for Max Verstappen for 2026

Red Bull technical director Ben Hodgkinson told The Inside Track that he believed the new regulations would be a chance for the 28-year-old to pull away from the field. Asked if he had had any input on the team’s 2026 car yet, he said: “To date, no.

“But from sort of now onwards, definitely, as we start getting in the simulator and he starts working out exactly how he wants to drive this thing. It’s got an interesting energy management challenge on this new power unit and it’s going to require a different set of skills from our drivers.

“I think it’s an opportunity to Max to further separate himself from the pack, to be honest, because I think it’s going to be tricky to extract the optimal lap time out of it and how you drive it.

“So I’m really looking forward to Max getting into that. He will certainly be giving us feedback about how things could be a bit easier or simpler or easier to extract the optimum.”

Hodgkinson added that he feels Red Bull’s facilities are ‘state-of-the-art’, which is exactly what Verstappen will want to hear ahead of 2026. He wants a title-winning car from the team next year, and the setup in Milton Keynes could give him the perfect ‘advantage’.

“Well, that’s certainly what we’re hoping,” he said. “We’re trying to make that so. Like I said, starting from scratch when you have to build factories and find all the people is a disadvantage. The starter pistol has gone off, everyone else is sprinting and you’re digging foundations.

“But I’ve been able to have a really good think about what I think the perfect factory would look like for what I know the ‘26 regulations were going to be. And I do think that our facilities are state-of-the-art. So I’m sure that will give us an advantage.”

READ MORE: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

What Max Verstappen has said about Red Bull’s 2026 power unit

Verstappen has an exit clause in his contract that allows him to leave Red Bull if he is not in the top two of the championship in 2026. Currently sitting third in the standings in 2025, that would not be enough for the team to retain his services if he chose to leave.

The pressure on Red Bull will be immense in 2026. They have to get their power unit right if they want to keep Verstappen on board, and it seems that the team are heading in the right direction.

Under team principal Laurent Mekies, Red Bull have taken a dramatic step forward in development with his new approach. It has kept Verstappen in the title hunt in 2025, and it is producing positive noises out of the team for next year.

Verstappen was ‘impressed’ by Red Bull’s 2026 engine and its current state when he visited the factory. Early signs are encouraging, but it will all depend on how the car performs on the track.