2026 Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team

[AR3-GP]

I honestly don't think the car is bad. If they can be in the fight for pole while 8kg overweight in the last 3 races then they're definitely a win capable car. With the engine I can buy the theory that the peak performance of their ICE is better than the Mercedes. Massive kudos to the geniuses as RBPT for pulling off the most impressive debut for a new engine manufacturer in modern F1 history. I don't think they lack absolute performance on the battery or MGUK but it is likely their harvesting just isn't as consistent or good as the manufacturers who have the benefit of all the training data from running hybrids in F1 since 2014. That should be encouraging because it is likely that they could close the gap through the season via better maps and software alone.

I think there are hardware limits on the hybrid side and this blind spot in the ADUO measurement process means that instead of a trailing manufacturer getting a concession to catch up, the leading manufacturer (Mercedes), gets a second helping to get further ahead.

ICE and Hybrid should have split measurement process and split development tokens. It's insane that Mercedes can develop another 2 homologations of an already class PU because Petronas has bad fuel in the ICE. One has nothing to do with the other. If their ICE is weak, allow them ICE upgrades only. The ADUO is a significant concession that pretty much opens up the entire PU for redevelopment whereas the year on year upgrades are more limited. There are things Red Bull will never be able to touch because they don't have ADUO, while Mercedes can practically build another PU when there's is already the best.

[AR3-GP]

I also don't buy that Mercedes don't have the best ICE too. There is a lot of noise in the power output. It was rumored that Petronas doesn't have a good fuel. As Mattia Binotto explained in start of season, that could account for more than 2% on the ICE.

So if ExxonMobil simply developed a better fuel, the result will be that Mercedes will be able to bring a new fuel, a new combustion engine, a new energy store, and a new MGU-K 3 times in the nex 18 months while Red Bull will be rewarded by being held stationary and if it were the case that they would end up 1.5% behind after updates, they would then never get ADUO

[Badger]

I always endorsed the idea that RBPT was much closer to Merc than some people were giving them credit for. But the idea that they are ahead by over 2% and that Merc who has won every race with everyone calling their engine the best now has ADUO, it’s absolutely farcical. It means the ADUO is not fit for purpose, or worse, corrupt. Sadly we’ll never know because there’s zero transparency.

[euv2]

Wow, what a sucker punch this has been to this years hopes of a race winning car. It's shocking how incompetent FIA has been with this ADUO measurement system, riddled with flaws everywhere. Not finding a way to measure total output of the PU is a total sham.

[gearboxtrouble]

I also don't buy that Mercedes don't have the best ICE too. There is a lot of noise in the power output. It was rumored that Petronas doesn't have a good fuel. As Mattia Binotto explained in start of season, that could account for more than 2% on the ICE.

So if ExxonMobil simply developed a better fuel, the result will be that Mercedes will be able to bring a new fuel, a new combustion engine, a new energy, and a new MGU-K 3 times in the nex 18 months while Red Bull will be rewarded by being held stationary and if it were the case that they would end up 1.5% behind after updates, they would then never get ADUO

RBPT should be able to develop the ICE for 2027 under the current rules, let alone when they change the ICE/Hybrid split. Its only in season changes they can't make. Re the hybrid side I don't think the MGUK and battery are super cutting edge tech - its pretty mature and everyone is used to racing something similar in other motorsports and even the last ruleset in F1. What is different is how the hardware is maximized via harvesting because this is an energy starvation formula at the moment. That's where any disadvantage is likely to be.

[euv2]

I also don't buy that Mercedes don't have the best ICE too. There is a lot of noise in the power output. It was rumored that Petronas doesn't have a good fuel. As Mattia Binotto explained in start of season, that could account for more than 2% on the ICE.

So if ExxonMobil simply developed a better fuel, the result will be that Mercedes will be able to bring a new fuel, a new combustion engine, a new energy store, and a new MGU-K 3 times in the nex 18 months while Red Bull will be rewarded by being held stationary and if it were the case that they would end up 1.5% behind after updates, they would then never get ADUO

All this noise from Toto about not allowing ADUO to be used to surpass the lead PU, only for Mercedes to game the system and probably do exactly that.

[Sieper]

They have such a powerfull engine that Max has not been able to pull away from the starting spot 4 out of 8 races. What is this nonsense. Funk me.

[AR3-GP]

This was Mekies last month. He said plainly that they have ICE deficit. Something is not right. Either Merc negotiated for compression ratio nerfing or they just ran it detuned because they didn't have to push it since the hybrid (which is not considered) is so good.

"To extract the right combustion engine performance in a fair way across the teams is very difficult. I think overall results are probably giving you the best, the most fair picture, of where everybody is at.”

While there have been suggestions from the paddock that analysis shows the Red Bull’s internal combustion engine is closely matched to Mercedes – if not even ahead – Mekies says their own data does not back that up.

Speaking about the gap to Mercedes, he said: “Three-tenths is where we put it internally.”

And he was clear that the biggest part of that deficit was in the ICE element, which is what ADUO rankings will be based upon.

“It is very difficult to see the differences,” he said. “I think we more so tend to attribute the difference that we just talked about to ICE, on the basis the electrical power is capped in terms of power.

“In terms of sizeable differences, like lap times, substantial lap time differences, and you are talking tenths, it's mainly driven by ICE.”

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/wher ... stacks-up/


Either way, the ADUO outcome does not change what we can see on the track. Max has been happy with the chassis since Miami upgrades (so you cannot say the chassis is bad). They are losing time on straights and it's difficult to overtake Mercedes powered cars because they have the best PU.

The only disappointment now is that the FIA failed to give concessions to the manufacturers that are actually behind, and somehow managed to give it to the one that is ahead.

[Emag]

This was Mekies last month. He said plainly that they have ICE deficit. Something is not right. Either Merc negotiated for compression ratio nerfing or they just ran it detuned because they didn't have to push it since the hybrid (which is not considered) is so good.

"To extract the right combustion engine performance in a fair way across the teams is very difficult. I think overall results are probably giving you the best, the most fair picture, of where everybody is at.”

While there have been suggestions from the paddock that analysis shows the Red Bull’s internal combustion engine is closely matched to Mercedes – if not even ahead – Mekies says their own data does not back that up.

Speaking about the gap to Mercedes, he said: “Three-tenths is where we put it internally.”

And he was clear that the biggest part of that deficit was in the ICE element, which is what ADUO rankings will be based upon.

“It is very difficult to see the differences,” he said. “I think we more so tend to attribute the difference that we just talked about to ICE, on the basis the electrical power is capped in terms of power.

“In terms of sizeable differences, like lap times, substantial lap time differences, and you are talking tenths, it's mainly driven by ICE.”

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/wher ... stacks-up/


Either way, the ADUO outcome does not change what we can see on the track. Max has been happy with the chassis since Miami upgrades (so you cannot say the chassis is bad). They are losing time on straights and it's difficult to overtake Mercedes powered cars because they have the best PU.

The only disappointment now is that the FIA failed to give concessions to the manufacturers that are actually behind, and somehow managed to give it to the one that is ahead.

I mean, the teams have better data than us, but they also would normally have no clue about the actual numbers from rival teams. They can just make better approximations, but there shouldn't be a way for Mekies to know exactly how many hp the Mercedes ICE specifically would have.

That is of course if you don't believe there's gossip around in the paddock and engineers are leaking numbers to each other. In my opinion not very realistic, as I would imagine the people who work in this industry are incredibly competitive to the point where the NDA might not even be a requirement.

[AR3-GP]

I mean, the teams have better data than us, but they also would normally have no clue about the actual numbers from rival teams. They can just make better approximations, but there shouldn't be a way for Mekies to know exactly how many hp the Mercedes ICE specifically would have.

That is of course if you don't believe there's gossip around in the paddock and engineers are leaking numbers to each other. In my opinion not very realistic, as I would imagine the people who work in this industry are incredibly competitive to the point where the NDA might not even be a requirement.

Just because someone says they have X hp, does not mean it gives any tangible advantage to another manufacturer to know that. It is like Hamilton said. Engine development has a very long lead time. It will take Ferrari 8 to 10 months to use their tokens. So some gossip that someone has extra 25hp doesn't do anything. They have no insight to how that is achieved at a technical level. It doesn't change the course of another team's season.

Everyone and their dog had been talking about the Mercedes PU before 2026. Verstappen who was talking to Toto had come to understand they have a very good power unit, and we can see on the track the strength of all Mercedes customer teams on the power tracks. So there's no reason to reinvent the wheel, and nothing that has been said before is untrue.

This is just is a quirk of a blindfolded selection process.

[euv2]

Will be interesting what Mekies has to say about this, since it will put a lot more pressure on him because the chassis side is underdelivering relatively and the PU side which was supposed to be lagging is top dog, so he can't really hide behind the PU. Maybe he will justify it by saying overall performance is not strong, just the ICE.

[AR3-GP]

Will be interesting what Mekies has to say about this, since it will put a lot more pressure on him because the chassis side is underdelivering relatively and the PU side which was supposed to be lagging is top dog, so he can't really hide behind the PU. Maybe he will justify it by saying overall performance is not strong, just the ICE.

How can it be said that the chassis is underdelivering when the driver says he is happy since Miami? There's no panic at Red Bull and Mekies is not under pressure. There's been some bad luck. They know where free laptime is (weight), the did the first good chassis upgrade in ages (Miami) and as far back as last year they said the first half of 2026 will be a write off. They have already exceeded expectations with 2 front rows and 2 podiums.

Maybe criticized for not gaming the ADUO system better, but not more than that.

[euv2]

Will be interesting what Mekies has to say about this, since it will put a lot more pressure on him because the chassis side is underdelivering relatively and the PU side which was supposed to be lagging is top dog, so he can't really hide behind the PU. Maybe he will justify it by saying overall performance is not strong, just the ICE.

How can it be said that the chassis is underdelivering when the driver says he is happy since Miami? There's no panic at Red Bull and Mekies is not under pressure. There's been some bad luck. They know where free laptime is (weight), the did the first good chassis upgrade in ages (Miami) and as far back as last year they said the first half of 2026 will be a write off. They have already exceeded expectations with 2 front rows and 2 podiums.

Maybe criticized for not gaming the ADUO system better, but not more than that.

Because Red bull goal is to win races, not just be competitive. They are already behind Mercedes and them getting a free upgrade will make the road to the top even harder. It's an extra tenth and half they have to find, when most people were expecting Red bull to get the ADUO allocation.

By under pressure I didn't mean lose his job, more like give justification for the performance levels. A lot will still depend on how well the next update goes, but Mercedes getting ADUO was definitely not being accounted for in Milton Keynes that's for sure.

[AR3-GP]

Will be interesting what Mekies has to say about this, since it will put a lot more pressure on him because the chassis side is underdelivering relatively and the PU side which was supposed to be lagging is top dog, so he can't really hide behind the PU. Maybe he will justify it by saying overall performance is not strong, just the ICE.

How can it be said that the chassis is underdelivering when the driver says he is happy since Miami? There's no panic at Red Bull and Mekies is not under pressure. There's been some bad luck. They know where free laptime is (weight), the did the first good chassis upgrade in ages (Miami) and as far back as last year they said the first half of 2026 will be a write off. They have already exceeded expectations with 2 front rows and 2 podiums.

Maybe criticized for not gaming the ADUO system better, but not more than that.

Because Red bull goal is to win races, not just be competitive. They are already behind Mercedes and them getting a free upgrade will make the road to the top even harder. It's an extra tenth and half they have to find, when most people were expecting Red bull to get the ADUO allocation.

By under pressure I didn't mean lose his job, more like give justification for the performance levels. A lot will still depend on how well the next update goes, but Mercedes getting ADUO was definitely not being accounted for in Milton Keynes that's for sure.

For sure, it's a political failure

[Sieper]

If you are as far ahead of Mercedes it is very easy to tweak the parameters. Redbull has been it,s usual scrappy self.