Extent of Red Bull power unit struggles REVEALED with dominance threatened

Red Bull's power unit for the 2026 season is "ten HP" below their target, according to reports from Germany.

The news comes after Red Bull team principal Christian Horner questioned the impact the new regulations could have on the on-track product in F1.

READ MORE: Mercedes POSITIVE about winning F1 upgrade race despite McLaren leap

Speaking to the media, Horner had previously stated: “F1 needs to be wheel-to-wheel racing.

"We can’t afford to lose that challenge and have drivers downshifting on the straights to regenerate batteries.”

This prompted a reply from Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who suggested that Horner's challenge of the new regulations comes as a result of issues in the Red Bull Powertrains project.

Trouble in Red Bull paradise

According to a report from the German news outlet Auto Motor und Sport, “The talk is that the combustion engine from Milton Keynes is about ten HP below the target.”

“There are teething problems, which is normal for a project that has been pulled up from white paper.

"The talk is that the combustion engine from Milton Keynes is about ten hp below the target.”

This report supports the theories of Toto Wolff, who has been public in his claims that Red Bull's push to alter the 2026 engine regulation changes are born from their own struggles.

READ MORE: Horner warns FIA rule proposals could blow GOLDEN opportunity for F1

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