FIA Blocks Red Bull Powertrain Registry As New Engine Manufacturer

The FIA has rejected Red Bull's bid to register its new powertrains engine division as a new engine manufacturer when the 2026 regulations commence with the next-generation engine formula. Apparently, the engine manufacturer group led by Ferrari whose chairman John Elkann and CEO Bennedetto Vigna intervened and threatened to no sign up for the next generation of FIA rules for F1. 

All the engine manufacturers which also include Mercedes, Renault, and even Audi which will become a new manufacturer in 2026 argued that Red Bull had amassed enough knowledge to be on par with the current set of manufacturers. Currently, Red Bull uses Honda engines that come without the OEM branding. 

Red Bull decided to create its engine operation when in 2020 Honda decided to leave F1 due to the impending transition toward electric cars. Red Bull has invested a lot of money and also lured Ben Hodgkinson from Mercedes High-Performance Powertrains as technical director for the new effort.

Red Bull also took over Honda's main battery and ERS development facility in the UK while many of Honda's engineers are working as consultants for it. Last year, on balance the Honda power unit in the Red Bull, had the fastest straight-line speed. 

So all manufacturers believe that Red Bull would gain an unfair advantage. On top of this, Red Bull's deal with Ford is also one where Ford isn't actually building the internal combustion engine but is just contributing its expertise with battery technology and putting in some money. Had Ford been building the new engine then it would've qualified for extra testing, development, dyno, and test bench time like Audi will get when it fully takes over Sauber.