Verstappen says driver feedback will be key as Red Bull rolls out its own 2026 power unit

Max Verstappen told Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport that his most important job this season is to give Red Bull crystal‑clear feedback on the new power unit. With the 2026 regulations mandating a 50 % electric, 50 % internal‑combustion split, the Dutch champion says the stakes for accurate driver input have risen dramatically.

Why it matters:

Red Bull will field its first self‑designed power unit, built in partnership with Ford, marking a shift from the Mercedes engines that powered the team to multiple championships. The hybrid formula’s equal split forces teams to balance raw horsepower with energy‑recovery efficiency, and only drivers who can articulate the car’s behavior will help engineers close the development gap.

The details:

• 2026 power units will produce roughly half of their propulsion from a high‑capacity battery, the rest from a conventional V6 turbo‑internal‑combustion engine.
• Red Bull’s new unit, dubbed the ‘RB‑2026’, is the first in the team’s history to be built in‑house, with Ford supplying key components and fuel‑system expertise.
• Verstappen expects a “big” performance spread at the start of the season, with one or two teams likely to have an early advantage.
• He stresses that drivers must “give precise answers” about handling, braking zones and power‑delivery quirks, a process he’s accustomed to but now “even more important”.
• Early testing data will be used to refine the hybrid balance, aiming to deliver a car that is both fast on the straights and fun to drive through corners.

What's next:

Red Bull will begin extensive shakedown runs at the season‑opening circuits, using Verstappen’s feedback to fine‑tune the RB‑2026’s energy‑recovery settings. As the calendar progresses, the team hopes the initial performance gap narrows, delivering a competitive package that can challenge Mercedes and Ferrari for race wins and, ultimately, the championship.