Is the Red Bull engine really "the benchmark" for the new 2026 era?

As we know, the 2026 season marks a technical turning point in Formula 1The new power units introduce an unprecedented balance between thermal and electric power: the battery's power is now equivalent to that of the combustion engine. Energy management and deployment thus become central elements of performance. In this context of technical uncertainty, Red Bull Powertrains, in partnership with Ford, presents the DM01, named in honor of its founder Dietrich Mateschitz, the first engine entirely developed in its own facilities. A huge industrial challenge, involving new infrastructure, new engineers, and a new organization.

From the private tests in Barcelona, ​​the figures were striking: 622 laps completed in three days, representing nearly 2900 kilometers covered by the Red Bull and Racing Bulls cars, without any major incidents. Reliability, often the Achilles' heel of new projects, already seemed to be under control. On Wednesday, during the first official day of winter testing in Bahrain, Max Verstappen He completed 65 laps in the morning and set the provisional fastest time. But the four-time world champion particularly impressed on the long stints. 

"The car and the engine are the benchmark at the moment."

The observation was quickly shared in the paddock: the advantage did not seem limited to a fast lap. Toto wolff, main team of Mercedes Benzdid not seek to downplay the observed performance: "The car and the engine are the benchmark at the moment."

Even more significantly, the Austrian points to a key area of ​​the new regulations: "Look at their energy deployment today. They are able to put much more energy down the straights than anyone else. We're talking about a second per lap over several consecutive laps." The gap would therefore not be a one-off, but reproducible over the course of a stint. When questioned on Wednesday about Mercedes' ability to compete in this area, Wolff was direct: "Not today."

Visual observations are confirmed by data analysis. Carlos Sainz, now a pilot WilliamsHe studied the GPS data from the RB22. His verdict is unambiguous: "This isn't a small step forward, it's a clear advantage. A real gap."

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The Spaniard said "Very impressed" by what Red Bull Ford Powertrains showed from the very first day. He emphasizes the context: new regulations, a completely new engine, new technical teams. "If they arrive at the first race with the most powerful and reliable engine, we'll have to tip our hats to them."

James Vowles, Williams team principal, echoed this sentiment, mentioning a measurable gap: "We can see six tenths of a second consistently. Entering turn 1, we can't get close. Their speed is extremely impressive." According to him, the most striking aspect remains the combination of performance and reliability for a developed program "starting from scratch".

Is another Red Bull domination on the horizon?

Long considered the favorite for the new engine era, Mercedes seemed, on paper, the best equipped to tackle 2026. But the initial feedback from Bahrain is disrupting the expected hierarchy. On Wednesday, they lost several hours due to a chassis problem, and then, on Thursday morning, Kimi Antonelli was limited to three laps before a complete power unit change was carried out. Red Bull is not content with having produced its own engine: the team seems to have understood before the other strategic issues of the new regulations, in particular energy management and recovery.

In Formula 1, where electric power is playing an unprecedented role, software and strategic mastery are becoming as crucial as raw power. It is precisely in this area that observers note the current superiority of the RB22. It remains to be seen whether this advantage will be confirmed during qualifying simulations and then under Grand Prix conditions.

However, things didn't go perfectly smoothly for the Austrian team. While Max Verstappen completed several stints on Wednesday, Isack Hadjar's RB22 was sidelined in the garage due to a hydraulic leak detected during the assembly of the car During the night. Forced to completely dismantle the car to identify the source of the problem, the mechanics had to close the garage for a large part of the session. The young Frenchman was finally able to leave his pit box only in the very last seconds of the morning, completing only a simple installation lap.

This incident disrupted Hadjar's planned work program and delayed the collection of crucial data at a time when every kilometer counts in understanding the intricacies of the new regulations. Even for a team that appears to have gained a significant advantage, the early runs of such a season are always fraught with technical challenges. Red Bull nevertheless managed to quickly rectify the situation, allowing their driver to take to the track for the following session, where he set the fifth fastest time, 2,2 seconds behind the leader. Charles Leclerc. 

The praise coming from the paddock also needs to be interpreted. Some teams might find it strategically advantageous to shift the favorite status to Milton Keynes in order to alleviate their own pressure. At Williams, Carlos Sainz's comments seem consistent with the analysis of GPS data. However, at Mercedes, which was touted as the favorite even before the first laps, seeing Toto Wolff establish Red Bull as the absolute benchmark on the very first day could also be part of a well-known Formula 1 political game: putting the spotlight on the rival to better work behind the scenes.

Despite all these factors, One thing is certain: for the first time in a long time, Red Bull is not only considered dominant because of its chassis or Max Verstappen. It is its engine that is now attracting attention.