Sebastien Buemi Offers Cautious Update on Red Bull's Ambitious 2026 Power Unit

Red Bull simulator driver Sebastien Buemi reports that the team's ambitious in-house power unit project for 2026 is progressing well. However, he stresses that its true competitiveness against established rivals will only be revealed on track, not in simulations, marking a critical test for the team's future dominance as it transitions to a full works outfit.

Why it matters:

Red Bull is attempting a monumental shift from a championship-winning customer team to a full works outfit, building its own engine from scratch while navigating a massive regulation change. The success or failure of this project, in partnership with Ford, will define the team's next era and determine if they can fend off new challengers like Audi and resurgent rivals like Mercedes and Ferrari under the new rules.

The details:

• Buemi offered a candid assessment, stating, "I think it’s going quite well," but immediately tempered expectations by adding, "you can’t really tell until you put the car on the track and compare yourself with the others."
• He warned against relying on internal data, bluntly noting, "You may think that what you’ve done is amazing, but if some people have done way better, then it’s going to be shit."
• The project, known as Red Bull Powertrains (RBPT), started from "nothing" and has rapidly grown to a team of around 500 people.
• Buemi highlighted the team's long-term vision, noting that Red Bull is building an integrated facility with the engine, chassis, and other departments all in one place, a setup currently only matched by Ferrari.
• He emphasized that simulation and dyno testing have limits, warning that unforeseen real-world issues like vibration could only be discovered when the unit is finally run in the car.

What's next:

The ultimate verdict on Red Bull's power unit won't come until pre-season testing and the 2026 season opener. The team faces the dual challenge of ensuring its new engine is both reliable and powerful, and that it integrates seamlessly with a chassis designed for an entirely new set of aerodynamic regulations. The project's success is crucial for Red Bull to maintain its position at the pinnacle of the sport.