Red Bull's first F1 engine win a triumph of belief for power unit boss
- Last updated: October 10, 2026 | 11:10
Powertrains boss Ben Hodgkinson would rather talk about belief than expectation after Red Bull's momentous first win as a Formula One engine manufacturer.
Max Verstappen's victory from pole, with fastest lap, at last weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia came 16 races into F1's new rules era and exceeded expectations for those who doubted the energy drink brand could match established powers Mercedes and Ferrari by building from scratch one of the most complex power units in the history of the sport.
Sepang was also the first pole of 2026 by a car not powered by a Mercedes engine but Hodgkinson remained wary of too much hype when asked about expectations.
"We've won a race. One out of 16," the technical director told Reuters ahead of this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix and four-time champion Verstappen's 250th start.
"I think expectation is a dangerous word for any engineer in Formula One. As soon as you start underestimating the competition is when you start losing. The whole (engine) project was constructed with the belief that this was possible. So I believed. I didn't expect."
From hole in the ground to winners
The journey from building site to racetrack reality has not been easy for former champions who dominated in previous eras with engines provided by others.
"There's been lots of moments along the way where things didn't feel like they were going very well. And to finally pull it all together to get that win was a very special moment indeed," said Hodgkinson, speaking from his office at the Milton Keynes factory.
"So many people didn't think that we would be in this position -- other teams, members of the press, probably even members of our own family thought that we're taking on something pretty extreme.
"But the collective mindset and something that I've found really unique about Red Bull is the willingness to take on the bold, audacious projects and just prove everybody wrong."
Red Bull had to build from the beginning, hiring experts from other teams, while rivals could focus purely on producing a powertrain from existing facilities. Newcomers Audi and returnees Honda are still way off having a winning package.
Mercedes have won 11 of the 16 races, Ferrari and McLaren two each and only last month former Haas team boss Guenther Steiner was saying he could not see Red Bull winning this year.
Hodgkinson, who joined from Mercedes, said such doubts were "fuel for our fire".
"There's something about this project that was a very Red Bull thing to do," he said. "You know, the 'Just a fizzy drink company' daring to take on power unit manufacturer as well as chassis.
"It is something I think probably only somebody like Red Bull would take on. And it was done with the ambition of wanting to achieve something great right from the very beginning."
Now the engine benchmark
Red Bull are the only British-based team with power unit and chassis production on the same site, with Mercedes split between Brackley and Brixworth.
Ford are Red Bull's partners and Hodgkinson said the US car giant's help with personnel, facilities and manufacturing had been invaluable.
While Sepang came as something of a surprise, possibly helped by the track surface and definitely by Verstappen finding another level, the engine had already set the standard with the governing FIA declaring it the benchmark by which others should be assessed.
The 2026 power units are split 53-47 between combustion and electric, with the balance tilting more towards the former in coming years.
"I think getting too hung up on the best engine is something that the regulations almost force you to do... but it's really about your overall pace," said Hodgkinson when asked whether his was really the best.
"Sometimes you can make decisions on engines which actually would reduce its performance but overall makes the car go quicker. So we measure ourselves on our on-track performance.
"I'm super-proud of what we've done," he added, lifting a mug from his desk bearing the slogan 'Red Bull best with ice' -- a double-meaning that could refer to internal combustion engine as well as the drink.
"That's all it is. I've got a mug to prove it."
Reuters