Max Verstappen has delivered a telling forecast for the first Formula 1 pre-season test later this month, specifically for his Red Bull team.
F1 2026 is the most unpredictable championship for many years, given the radical new regulations cycle that is overhauling the sport.
New engines, aerodynamics and in-car gizmos are providing a fresh challenge for the teams and drivers alike, ensuring increased intrigue as to which squad has cracked the code.
Red Bull begins the new era with one of its own, as it will be powering its own cars this year via a new relationship with Ford.
It is the first time the Milton Keynes-based squad has produced an in-house powertrain, and the first time Ford has been in F1 in the V6 hybrid era.
It has rendered expectations for the team to be lower than usual, and Verstappen, speaking to Blick, indicated it will be going into the first test in Barcelona unsure of what to expect.
“None of us have any idea about the new car or the engine,” he said, adding his telling prediction.
“I think that during the first tests in Barcelona starting on 26 January, we’ll be spending more time in the garages than out on the track.
“Hopefully, we’ll all be a bit wiser after the two tests in Bahrain in February.”
Ford’s global chief Mark Rushbrook revealed this week that Verstappen has been showing a keen interest in its alliance with Red Bull, saying he has “been through the facility several times”.
The four-time World Champion explained that whilst he has indeed paid the base a visit, he is still unsure as to how fast and reliable the final product will be.
“Yes, I’ve been to the factory a few times,” he said. “But as I said, everyone is still in the dark.”
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