Red Bull boss Christian Horner has dispelled concerns that the team’s outgoing Formula 1 engine partner Honda is struggling ahead of the 2026 rule changes.
Honda joined Red Bull as a works engine partner in 2018, after a difficult introduction to the F1 hybrid engine formula with McLaren from 2015 through 2017.
The Red Bull/Honda partnership yielded a Drivers’ Championship with Max Verstappen in 2021 before the Japanese marque decided to take a back seat, handing control of its power unit over to the team.
That move prompted Red Bull to form its own powertrains division, eventually partnering with Ford to produce a 2026 engine in-house.
Honda, meanwhile, u-turned on its decision to back away from F1 and then signed a works partnership with Aston Martin, which will commence in 2026.
Honda ‘struggling’ with 2026 power unit
Next year, the hybrid power units will introduce sustainable fuels, get rid of the MGU-H system and increase the reliance on electrical power.
Koji Watanabe, president of Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) candidly admitted to PlanetF1 that the Japanese marque is “struggling” with the 2026 power unit.
“Everything is very difficult, but we try our best,” he said.
Honda ‘very capable’ – Horner
2025 will be the last year Red Bull operates the Honda engine in the back of its F1 cars.
As such, Team Principal Horner is best placed to comment on Honda’s capability in an F1 setting.
Horner admitted “It is a big challenge, I mean [Honda] disbanded their project and then restarted it again.
“They may well have lost a little bit of time through that, but they’re a very capable company and they’ve got great strength,” he continued.
“I am sure they’ll have a competitive power unit come 2026.”
Red Bull Powertrains venture ‘a big challenge’ – Horner
The Red Bull Powertrains division in partnership with Ford is one of several OEMs competing in F1 from 2026.
Red Bull and Honda join the established PU providers Mercedes and Ferrari, with Audi making its debut as an OEM next year as well.
Down the line, General Motors and Cadillac will bring a works engine to its new entry that joins the grid in 2026.
Taking on a brand new powertrains project is no easy feat and Horner has assessed the challenge ahead.
“You always want more time, but it is a big challenge for us, producing our own engine from scratch, a start-up company, but we’re doing well,” he said.
“Of course, you never know what your opponents are doing, it is a big challenge, but for us, it is the right move.”
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