Story byMotorsport photoRonald VordingSun, December 28, 2025 at 2:30 PM UTC·6 min readAfter a stint with Honda that delivered four drivers’ titles and two constructors’ championships, Red Bull will compete with its in-house power unit in 2026, in partnership with Ford. Although Ford Performance director Mark Rushbrook acknowledges that the project – as Toto Wolff put it in Zandvoort – “has Mount Everest to climb”, he believes the preparations in Milton Keynes have been as optimal as possible. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementRead Also: Exclusive: Ford gives update on 2026 Red Bull F1 engine “Some level of nervousness” ahead of Barcelona test“We are to plan, so where we need to be, but it all comes together when it's actually in the car and on track,” Rushbrook told Motorsport. com in an exclusive interview.“So that first day of testing is an important date, and an important week. It’s when we get to see how all this hard work in the past three years is going to pay off.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe first major test will be the start of winter testing in Barcelona, which takes place behind closed doors, for both fans and media. Asked whether Ford feels any nerves ahead of that test, Rushbrook continued:“There's always some level of nervousness or anticipation anytime there's a new car or engine on track.
