Red Bull Racing will take a new step in Formula 1 in 2026, because the team will build its own engine together with Ford. A big challenge, although it is one that the team can enjoy. Yet the question remains whether this will immediately work out well, and whether we can expect Red Bull to be at the front at the start of the new season.
2026 will certainly be a crucial year for the Austrian racing team, because the future of Max Verstappen should not be forgotten. The Dutchman will drive for Red Bull next season and so the rumors about his future subsided somewhat. But if things don’t go well in 2026, Verstappen can still go in many directions. Ford is also aware of this.
Yet not everything depends on the Dutchman, Ford CEO Mark Rushbrook explains in conversation with Motorsport.com. He previously expressed his appreciation for Verstappen, although there is a downside to that. “Max is an important part, but not to the extent that we say, ‘if he is gone, we will also leave’. No, we have confidence in this team and we know that we will also have other drivers in the future.”
After all those rumors, it is clear that one thing is especially necessary to keep Verstappen at Red Bull: winning. However, according to Rushbrook, those ambitions do not depend on the Dutchman. “As racers, we want to win anyway, regardless of other factors. So it is important to perform. We know that 2026 will be difficult for everyone in the paddock due to the new rules, but regardless of the driver, it is important to deliver as a team.”
Red Bull and Ford therefore have no time to lose and must do everything they can to perform as well as possible right away. But Rushbrook emphasizes it once again: “My comments are separate from Max. We just want to go out on track with the intention of winning.”
