2026 Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team

[ME4ME]

We can'r really call the 'why' before we see the 'what', because there could be other reasons like lesser boost (only 500bhp peak unlike 800bhp before) resulting in lower charge air temps, whether a large or small sidepod is what's needed (which in turn is going to be defined by what methodology choice each team makes about how the coke bottle area is going to be kept 'protected' from front tyre wake) etc etc etc..there isn't one reason for such choices, its like 5-6 independent constraints together going to war with each other and the designers eventually arriving at the least hurtful compromise and then deciding the size/shapes of some 20 aspects of the car.
..
Discuss, please, it will be fun to make such 'predictions' before the cars are unveiled in Jan'26 and then we can find out how wrong we've been.

Like I said, just my guess.
ICE output being lower would only reduce the charge cooling capacity requirements wouldn't it. So it makes sense to me. But the main driver I see for such a decision is weight. I imagine the start of 2026 being similar to the start of 2022, everbody talking about weight and some teams not making the minimum. If you want a prediction mine would be that there'll be a increase of minimum weight ahead of the first race as a result of some serious lobbying from some teams. Wouldn't be surprised at all. Hence the guess for air-to-air intercoolers.

The main counterargument would be the cost of drag both in direct lap time but also indirectly in used energy. Added drag could be a very expensive competitive deficit. Surely it must be one of the main design priorites for the overall car when in straight-line mode to be low drag in absolute terms and highly efficient in drag/lift terms.
But for me I find it hard to quantify (guess-tify) the cost of any added volume from a air-to-air intercooler and its effect on drag.
-Frontal area might increase but it doesn't have to.
-Coefficient of drag might increase but it's not a given.
And as mentioned it might very well be a continuation of the 2022-25 train of thought that a certain sidepod volume might be prefered for flow manipulation purposes.

So I find the 2 arguments for air-to-air intercooling certain and the counterargument far less certain. Hence the guess for air-to-air over air-to-water.

[PlatinumZealot]

In the ground effect era side pod had to be of a minimum volume to provide that barge board-like effect to push dirty front wheel wake away from the floor and around the rear wheels. What we saw was both air to air, and water to air intercoolers being more or less the same width in the side pod with the latter being much thinner.

If you go by the performance of the teams with the same engine, there was not much difference in it.

[Jurgen von Diaz]

I am confused. Red Bull was heading for the dominant era, but all Perez is missing is the lost kilos from an overweight car.

https://www.f1maximaal.nl/formule-1/per ... n-probleem

The Mexican could win especially if the car was more stable. "At the start of the 2022 season, the car was accidentally too heavy," he said. "We had a very heavy car with a weight distribution that was very forward, which made it much more stable. That's what I was always looking for." It allowed Pérez to be fast, even faster than his teammate.

[AR3-GP]

https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-anti ... -2026-test

“It’s going to be quite a struggle to get to Barcelona,” Monaghan told media including RacingNews365.

“As we go towards the second Bahrain test, it might be possible to pick a bit of an initial running order from that.

“But these are prototype type cars, we can change them. So even if we are disappointed at the second Bahrain test it doesn’t mean that will be the same thing that goes to Australia.

“If we can engineer a change and bring it to the car and draw benefit from it, we will, as will Mercedes, Aston Martin, as will everybody in the pit lane.

“So it might not be as flagrant as it has been in the past with one week’s testing — it was difficult. I think we’ll hit the ground running with what we've got in Barcelona.”

[Emag]

https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-anti ... -2026-test

“It’s going to be quite a struggle to get to Barcelona,” Monaghan told media including RacingNews365.

“As we go towards the second Bahrain test, it might be possible to pick a bit of an initial running order from that.

“But these are prototype type cars, we can change them. So even if we are disappointed at the second Bahrain test it doesn’t mean that will be the same thing that goes to Australia.

“If we can engineer a change and bring it to the car and draw benefit from it, we will, as will Mercedes, Aston Martin, as will everybody in the pit lane.

“So it might not be as flagrant as it has been in the past with one week’s testing — it was difficult. I think we’ll hit the ground running with what we've got in Barcelona.”

Not sure if this is a compromise connected to their decision to develop the RB21 late into the 2025 season. Budget cap + ATR makes it difficult to work on 2 cars simultaneously so it makes sense.

In any case, I don't think this is to be taken as "bad news". If I recall correctly they did the same thing in 2022. The RB18 at the Barcelona test was more or less a "barebones" spec that helped them confirm their development direction. The moment they arrived at the second test at Bahrain with an upgraded car, they started showing signs of real pace.

The FIA is asking a lot from the teams to have a 2026-spec car ready by end of January for their private test. It's barely a month since the previous season ended.

[venkyhere]

https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-anti ... -2026-test

“It’s going to be quite a struggle to get to Barcelona,” Monaghan told media including RacingNews365.

“As we go towards the second Bahrain test, it might be possible to pick a bit of an initial running order from that.

“But these are prototype type cars, we can change them. So even if we are disappointed at the second Bahrain test it doesn’t mean that will be the same thing that goes to Australia.

“If we can engineer a change and bring it to the car and draw benefit from it, we will, as will Mercedes, Aston Martin, as will everybody in the pit lane.

“So it might not be as flagrant as it has been in the past with one week’s testing — it was difficult. I think we’ll hit the ground running with what we've got in Barcelona.”

Either
it's the truth - Redbull are struggling and they've started the PR to manage expectations
OR
this is PR con - Redbull have a very competitive car, and want to shock everyone in Australia

[kptaylor]

So will this year be considered a Mekies year or is there still overlap from Horner in the ownership/development of the car and engine?

[Wouter]

.

Gianpiero Lambiase, Max Verstappen's well-known race engineer, has been linked to several teams over the past month.

For now, he will remain with Red Bull in the same role. He also has a contract until the end of 2027. #F1

.
https://www.telegraaf.nl/sport/autospor ... aign=share

[lio007]

.

Gianpiero Lambiase, Max Verstappen's well-known race engineer, has been linked to several teams over the past month.

For now, he will remain with Red Bull in the same role. He also has a contract until the end of 2027. #F1

.
https://www.telegraaf.nl/sport/autospor ... aign=share

Good news! And usually we can trust EvH regarding these kind of reports.

[basti313]

https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-anti ... -2026-test

“It’s going to be quite a struggle to get to Barcelona,” Monaghan told media including RacingNews365.

“As we go towards the second Bahrain test, it might be possible to pick a bit of an initial running order from that.

“But these are prototype type cars, we can change them. So even if we are disappointed at the second Bahrain test it doesn’t mean that will be the same thing that goes to Australia.

“If we can engineer a change and bring it to the car and draw benefit from it, we will, as will Mercedes, Aston Martin, as will everybody in the pit lane.

“So it might not be as flagrant as it has been in the past with one week’s testing — it was difficult. I think we’ll hit the ground running with what we've got in Barcelona.”

I do not really see this. Even something like a front wing takes at least two weeks on CFD and manufacturing in the best case. So even if they just copy a wing from another car, draw it within a day and run CFD optimization very short...it would be a stretch to have something that involves the full car aero in the second Bahrain test. This is only three weeks.

[f1isgood]

What was Paul asked for him to say things like this? No one expects the team to be good. Curious to see how they go.

[Waz]

So will this year be considered a Mekies year or is there still overlap from Horner in the ownership/development of the car and engine?

Surely all the work that was developed under Horner has already been updated?

By the time the season starts, very little of the early work will have remained, so consider this a Mekies year.

[Waz]

https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-anti ... -2026-test

“It’s going to be quite a struggle to get to Barcelona,” Monaghan told media including RacingNews365.

“As we go towards the second Bahrain test, it might be possible to pick a bit of an initial running order from that.

“But these are prototype type cars, we can change them. So even if we are disappointed at the second Bahrain test it doesn’t mean that will be the same thing that goes to Australia.

“If we can engineer a change and bring it to the car and draw benefit from it, we will, as will Mercedes, Aston Martin, as will everybody in the pit lane.

“So it might not be as flagrant as it has been in the past with one week’s testing — it was difficult. I think we’ll hit the ground running with what we've got in Barcelona.”

I do not really see this. Even something like a front wing takes at least two weeks on CFD and manufacturing in the best case. So even if they just copy a wing from another car, draw it within a day and run CFD optimization very short...it would be a stretch to have something that involves the full car aero in the second Bahrain test. This is only three weeks.

The teams won't have time to copy designs, but altering a current design, or an existing alternative should be doable.

Let's say they have 3 options, and discover their preferred option isn't aligned to the data, but a combination of 2 and 3 will give the result they want.

[basti313]

https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-anti ... -2026-test

I do not really see this. Even something like a front wing takes at least two weeks on CFD and manufacturing in the best case. So even if they just copy a wing from another car, draw it within a day and run CFD optimization very short...it would be a stretch to have something that involves the full car aero in the second Bahrain test. This is only three weeks.

The teams won't have time to copy designs, but altering a current design, or an existing alternative should be doable.

Let's say they have 3 options, and discover their preferred option isn't aligned to the data, but a combination of 2 and 3 will give the result they want.

Why should this be quicker? One week optimization and two weeks production is still needed for anything more complex than an engine cover.

[kptaylor]

So will this year be considered a Mekies year or is there still overlap from Horner in the ownership/development of the car and engine?

Surely all the work that was developed under Horner has already been updated?

By the time the season starts, very little of the early work will have remained, so consider this a Mekies year.

I guess it really depends upon when they made the transition to the '26 car. Since they seemed to have developed later, not sure how much influence Horner had on the '26 car, hence the question.