Inside Red Bull Powertrains: The four-year sprint to build an independent F1 engine

Red Bull will compete with its own power unit for the first time this season, marking the end of a frantic four-year project to build an engine division from scratch. After Honda's exit, the team chose independence over reliance on manufacturers, partnering with Ford to bring operations in-house at Milton Keynes.

Why it matters:

Being a customer team often means being handicapped, a frustration Red Bull faced with Renault and Ferrari. By building its own power unit, Red Bull gains full control over its destiny, specifically regarding the critical integration of the engine and chassis. This positions the team to challenge established giants like Mercedes on equal technical footing.

The details:

• Rapid Growth: The operation started in 2021 with just five people and has since expanded to nearly 700 employees in the new Jochen Rindt Building.
• Leadership: Ben Hodgkinson, formerly of Mercedes, leads the project. He brought championship-winning expertise, along with hundreds of others who defected from the German manufacturer.
• The Ford Pivot: After talks with Porsche collapsed, Ford joined following a direct email from performance director Mark Rushbrook to Christian Horner.
• Technical Focus: Development prioritized the internal combustion engine and single-cylinder testing to maximize efficiency within the cost cap.

Looking ahead:

Hodgkinson describes the development process as a "400m race in a stadium on your own," acknowledging they have no visibility on competitors' progress. While Laurent Mekies admits it would be "naïve" to expect the best engine immediately, the team is confident in its facilities and the "bold and audacious" culture cultivated over the last four years.