Verstappen encouraged as Red Bull ‘hit the ground running’

Red Bull has made a "good start" to its 2026 power unit journey, with drivers Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar offering positive initial feedback after the Barcelona Shakedown. The new Red Bull-powered RB22 completed its first laps, marking a significant milestone for the team's in-house power unit project. Verstappen described the run as "pretty decent" and praised the number of laps achieved, acknowledging it's still very early days. Team boss Laurent Mekies expressed immense pride in the Milton Keynes-based Red Bull Powertrains facility's efforts, calling the successful initial shakedown a "huge satisfaction." This bespoke power unit, developed with Ford, will also supply Red Bull's sister team, Racing Bulls, in 2026.