Red Bull Principal Laurent Mekies Sets Realistic 2026 Expectations: 'We Don't Expect to Be Winning'

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies does not expect the Milton Keynes-based squad to be "winning" in the 2026 F1 season, candidly admitting the team is not "delusional" about the immense challenge ahead.

Why it matters:

2026 marks a new era for Formula 1 with sweeping chassis and engine regulations. For Red Bull, this transition is particularly monumental as they will become a full works team for the first time, manufacturing their own power unit through Red Bull Powertrains (RBPT) in partnership with Ford. This represents an unprecedented undertaking for a private team in modern F1.

The big picture:

• Mercedes boss Toto Wolff recently likened Red Bull's task to a "Mount Everest to climb," a sentiment Mekies fully agrees with.
• Mercedes successfully navigated the last major power unit rules change in 2014, giving Wolff's assessment significant weight.
• Despite the daunting nature of the challenge, Mekies insists Red Bull is approaching it "the Red Bull way," confident in their ability to eventually succeed.

The details:

Mekies, speaking to Autosprint, emphasized the team's realistic outlook:

"It is indeed an Everest, but we are facing it the Red Bull way. Our company knows how to climb them. We have everything we need to cover the path as quickly as possible, though we are not delusional: we don’t expect to be winning already in 2026."

He further added that only Red Bull in modern F1 has managed to build a team from scratch and achieve world titles, suggesting their unique capabilities extend to developing an independent power unit.

What's next:

While acknowledging the significant transformation into an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)—a path Alpine is moving away from—Mekies clarified that there is no specific deadline for Red Bull to achieve further F1 success, stating, "there is no deadline, but we are capable of anything."