Christian Horner: Developing Red Bull’s F1 engine was “terrifying as ever”
Former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has acknowledged that creating the team’s in-house power unit from the ground up was “terrifying,” after the engine secured its initial race victories this 2026 season. This acknowledgment comes despite his dismissal from the team a year prior.
Horner was ousted from his role in Milton Keynes following the 2025 British Grand Prix. A series of disappointing results and controversies culminated in this decision, leading to Laurent Mekies stepping in as his replacement, who was previously overseeing the Racing Bulls sister team. Nonetheless, Horner had been steering Red Bull’s collaboration with Ford after Honda exited the championship.
This Ford-associated power unit debuted on the track this year and has since been recognized as the standard for internal combustion engines by the FIA. Max Verstappen also achieved the power unit's inaugural victory at Sepang, followed by another win in Singapore.
Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Laurent Mekies, Red Bull Racing Team Principal
In a discussion with Motorsport.com regarding his powertrain success, he remarked: “It was arguably the most significant challenge I faced during my tenure at Red Bull, because it started from absolutely nothing. There was nothing there. [It was] a complete startup. Witnessing the milestones that engine achieved, from setting up a manufacturing facility to producing pistons and machining cylinders from solid blocks, was astounding, showcasing the dedication that went into that project.
“It was terrifying because we had no prior experience in engine building.”
He added: “The fulfillment of witnessing that engine triumph in its 16th race in its debut year fills me with immense pride. I take great pride in the team and what they have accomplished, as it’s all too easy to overlook the hurdles involved in developing an engine from scratch, especially within the most intricate set of engine regulations in the sport's history, and outperforming teams and manufacturers with far greater experience.”
This interview precedes the launch of Horner’s memoir, Drive, where he also mentions that Niki Lauda attempted to recruit him as Mercedes team principal before Toto Wolff assumed the position.
Red Bull heads to Austin trailing McLaren by seven points in the race for third place in the constructors’ championship.
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