Racing Bulls 'pleasantly surprised' by new Red Bull-Ford power unit's reliability

The Racing Bulls team has issued a positive first verdict on the new Red Bull Powertrains engine, with Team Principal Alan Permane praising its reliability after a smooth three-day shakedown in Barcelona. This marks the first competitive outing for Red Bull's in-house power unit, developed in partnership with Ford, which is supplied to both Red Bull-owned teams on the grid.

Why it matters:

The successful debut of Red Bull's own power unit is a critical milestone for the reigning champions' long-term independence and technical ambition. After years of relying on customer engines from Renault and Honda, proving the reliability and performance of their own design from the outset is essential to maintaining their competitive dominance and justifies the massive investment in their new powertrains division.

The details:

• Team Principal Alan Permane stated the team was "pleasantly surprised" by how well the new Red Bull-Ford power unit performed, highlighting its strong reliability which allowed the team to complete its program uninterrupted.
• He credited Red Bull Powertrains and partner Ford for an "incredible job," especially given the immense learning curve involved in becoming a new power unit manufacturer.
• The shakedown in Barcelona proceeded without major issues, providing crucial mileage and data.
• The engine team was able to conduct extensive background tests and procedures during the running, indicating a smooth operational integration.

What's next:

The focus now shifts to the official pre-season test in Bahrain, where the true performance and durability of the new power unit will be scrutinized over longer runs and in different conditions.

• Racing Bulls heads to Bahrain with a "very full program" planned for the six remaining days of testing before the season opener in Melbourne.
• The Bahrain test will be the final and most significant proving ground for the Red Bull power unit before competitive sessions begin, setting the tone for Red Bull's and Racing Bulls' 2025 campaigns.