Formula 1 News: Red Bull-Ford engine on target for 2026

Dr. Helmut Marko says there is no Plan B for the Red Bull-Ford 2026 F1 engine, and everything is going according to plan.

“Even though we are still a long way from competitive use, everything is going according to plan and the performance curve is right,” Marko told Austrian publication OE24.

But, with Honda also returning to the sport in a formal capacity as they have signed an agreement to supply Aston Martin, is there any contingency plan for Red Bull, and sister team AlphaTauri, to call upon their current partners for a supply if the RBPT engines fall short?

“No, it has to work,” Marko said when asked if Honda represent a ‘Plan B’?

“From 2026, we will be racing with our own engine. Until then, we want the best possible performance potential from Honda, which has worked well so far.

“Honda was my deal, so I will continue to look after it.”

While Marko used to have to fly to Japan regularly in order to work with Honda, he confirmed he no longer has to do that: “No, everything is organized so that I no longer have to go there. 24 races are enough for me, and one of them is in Japan anyway.”

Marko’s future with the team looked uncertain until last week.

The 80-year-old advisor’s future with the team was covered with doubts following a circulating report that hinted at team principal Christian Horner seeking ways to remove the advisor and assume total control over Red Bull’s Formula 1 operations.

In addition, it was also reported that the advisor’s influence within the organization was diminishing following the demise of company founder Dietrich Mateschitz last year, with whom he was known to share a close association.

But, the latest update from Marko suggests that he is to continue for the time being “as planned.” When asked if his future with the team was clear, he told OE24:

“Yes, in a positive sense, everything is continuing as planned.”

When he was asked if he would be able to deal with the stress of 24 Grands Prix next year, he answered:

“Yes, yes. But that’s not stressful for me. If I said: ‘It’s crazy what’s coming to me!’, it would be difficult. But I say to myself: Australia is beautiful, I’m looking forward to the trip to Melbourne. From Friday 11 a.m. to Sunday evening I do my job for Red Bull Racing, and I enjoy it.”