Red Bull facing 'sleepless nights' after damning Toto Wolff claim

Red Bull expects "a lot of sleepless nights next year" as it fights to deliver a power unit to rival Mercedes and Ferrari, according to team principal Laurent Mekies.

The Frenchman believes it would be "silly" to think the six-time constructors' champion can immediately be at their "level" and agreed with Toto Wolff's remark that Red Bull will have "Mount Everest to climb" when it becomes a full works team in 2026.

As F1 overhauls its chassis and engine regulations for that campaign, the Milton Keynes-based squad will take a step into the unknown, manufacturing its own power unit for the first time.

Red Bull Powertrains (RBPT) has worked closely with Honda for the past few years, but with the Japanese marque joining forces with Aston Martin, the Mekies-led team will be going it alone, whilst also supplying sister outfit Racing Bulls.

"I think Toto is right by saying it’s an Everest to climb," the 48-year-old told media, including RacingNews365. "That’s what it is.

"It’s as crazy as it gets to take the decision to do your own power unit, as Red Bull has done. It's an unbelievable challenge to be associated with. It’s the sort of crazy stuff Red Bull does – so it’s a good feeling."

"But we don’t underestimate how crazy it is. These guys have been doing it for 90 years or something like that.

"So it would be silly from our side to think we're going to come here and, right from the start, be at Ferrari’s or Mercedes’ level. That would be silly."

Sleepless in Milton Keynes

Nonetheless, Mekies was keen to stress that Red Bull will not merely try and replicate the approach of its rivals, despite how daunting the challenge might be.

"But it’s being set up the Red Bull way – at the maximum possible level," he added. "We take it step by step. We are trying to ramp up as quickly as possible – both the PU and the structure that goes around the PU: the people, the infrastructure.

Mekies anticipates there will be considerable work to be done over the 2026 campaign as Red Bull looks to eradicate any deficits it might initially find it has to the established power unit providers.

"Then, as I said, we expect a year with a lot of hard work, a lot of sleepless nights next year to try to get to the right level," he stated. "But it’s a challenge that very much feels like a Red Bull challenge, and we love that.

"We’re not going to put a number on where we think we’ll be – because I don’t think anybody has a number – but we know we’re starting with a mountain to climb, as Toto said."