Red Bull On "The Very Limit" Of F1 Engine Rules As Winter Storm Declared "Noise"

Red Bull has conceded it has taken the design of its new Formula 1 power unit "right to the very limit" of the regulations as a technical fall-out continues to dominate pre-season rumors.

The team based in Milton Keynes, England, is embarking on the daunting challenge of running its own power unit for the first time in collaboration with Ford.

Yet it is one of two teams, along with Mercedes, to come under pressure over suspicions that it has found a loophole around the new-for-2026 compression ratio limit. The limit was previously 18:1 with the last generation of power unit, but for the new engines, that limit has changed to 16:1.

"A lot of noise about nothing"

Red Bull launch Detroit — Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

Reports have suggested a letter from Audi, Honda, and Ferrari has been sent to F1's governing body, the FIA, asking for the rules around the ratio limit to be clarified, with their rivals suspected of being able to meet the threshold during measurement but then surpassing the limit when heated out on track.

The rift has been widely reported during the winter break, but changes to designs and regulations at this stage of pre-season would be unlikely, meaning any advantages would be carried through the upcoming 24-race schedule.

But speaking at Red Bull's season launch in Detroit, Red Bull Powertrains technical director Ben Hodgkinson downplayed any fears of the power unit breaking the rules.

“I think there’s some nervousness from various power unit manufacturers that there might be some clever engineering going on in some teams," as per The Race. “I’m not quite sure how much of it to listen to, to be honest. I’ve been doing this a very long time, and it’s almost just noise. You just have to play your own race, really.

Firing up for F1 2026 🤝#F1 || #RedBullRacing @FordRacing pic.twitter.com/9yvr5eUY2Y
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) January 15, 2026

“I know what we’re doing. I’m confident that what we’re doing is legal. Of course, we’ve taken it right to the very limit of what the regulations allow. I’d be surprised if everyone hasn’t done that.

“I suspect it’s a lot of noise about nothing. I expect everyone’s going to be sitting at 16. That’s what I really expect.”

All 11 F1 teams will take to the track at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the first of three pre-season tests at the end of January - the five-day shakedown taking place behind closed doors.

The final two tests will take place at the Bahrain International Circuit in February before the first grand prix of the season at Albert Park, Australia.

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