Max Verstappen decided to commit his long-term future to Red Bull ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 regulatory overhaul because he recognized the immense potential of the new power unit developed in partnership with Ford. Former world champion Emerson Fittipaldi revealed that the Dutch driver foresaw a very bright future for the Milton Keynes squad, underpinned by robust technical foundations and visionary engine development.
The newly born Red Bull-Ford power unit is already sending shockwaves through the paddock and leaving traditional engine manufacturers on edge. Red Bull Technical Director Pierre Wache provided a clear scenario regarding the project, assessing that the brand-new engine is currently only at level four or five out of ten in terms of its absolute potential.
Such progress is remarkable for a debut power unit created by a division that did not even exist five years ago. Team Principal Christian Horner spared no expense in gathering top-tier engineering brains at Milton Keynes to build a competitive powertrain from scratch.
Ben Hodgkinson, who leads the department, was previously a key architect behind Mercedes' early turbo-hybrid dominance. Furthermore, Emerson Fittipaldi emphasized that integrating former Honda personnel—following their stellar results from 2021 through 2025—is making a decisive difference in the current development phase.
Fittipaldi noted that Red Bull brought in elite professionals from Honda to assist with the new engine development, providing vital expertise given Honda's historic reputation for producing top-quality power units. This strong backing of competent personnel ultimately convinced Max Verstappen to stay long-term, knowing he can rely on world-class engineering.
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