Red Bull wary of 'Everest' obstacle in 'crazy' F1 project

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has described the Red Bull Powertrains project as “crazy” as the squad prepares for a new era.

The Milton Keynes-based outfit is preparing for the 2026 campaign, which will be held under fresh technical regulations.

As well as the chassis, the power unit will undergo a significant change. Red Bull is constructing its own engine for the first time, working in association with Ford.

With such a mammoth change coming to the regulations, it creates the possibility for one team to spring a healthy lead over the rest of the competition.

Mekies highlighted that he is wary of the challenge of coming up against the manufacturers who have been designing engines for decades.

“We think it is an Everest that we’re trying to climb,” Mekies told Sky F1. “It’s a crazy project, it’s a crazy challenge.

“It fits so well with what Red Bull, what Ford is. That’s exactly how we’re looking at that challenge.

“It’s a massive undertaking to go into. We don't know where we are to compare to the competitions," he said.

"We are respectful enough of the competition to say, 'if these guys have been doing it for 50, 60 or 70 years, it's starting from zero, getting all our people, getting all the process right, all the infrastructure and it is going to take some time'.

“We do it the Red Bull-Ford way and therefore we do it at a top level in every area.”

Mekies insisted that the initial performance that is on display during testing at the start of next year will not define the upcoming era.

“We have incredibly good people that are starting to bond together in Red Bull Racing, with Ford Racing,” he said. “It’s going to be a journey.

“It’s not about who is going to be the best team in Barcelona testing in January, but it's about who will get the project right and who will develop the project.”