Red Bull focused on future power unit regulations - Christian Horner

Verstappen driving in Bahrain during test — Photo: © LAT Images

Red Bull

Red Bull focused on future power unit regulations - Horner

Red Bull Powertrains was launched in February

Sam Hall

Thursday 29 April 2021 08:00

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Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has explained a "key focus" of the team's new powertrain division are the new regulations that will come into force in 2025.

After Honda announced it would be withdrawing from F1 at the end of the current season, title-challenging Red Bull subsequently declared it would take on the Honda technology itself rather than be beholden to another manufacturer.

"It is incredibly exciting for us," Horner told Sky Sports F1. "Here, we have created a campus.

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"The latest addition to the campus is going to be bringing the engine business in house here in Milton Keynes and building a brand new, bespoke facility to house some of the best engineering talent in the business with a key focus on the future regulations.

"It is tremendously exciting for us, a great opportunity - UK based as well - and it gives us the chance to fully integrate the power train into the chassis side of the business as well.

"Other than Ferrari, [we will be] the only team in Formula 1 to have engines and chassis all produced, manufactured and designed under one roof effectively."

The team has already revealed it had appointed former-head of engineering at Mercedes High Performance Powertrains Ben Hodgkinson as technical director of its new project.

Asked if the team was open to partnering with another manufacturer beyond the development freeze and into the new regulations in 2025, Horner left all options on the table.

He answered: "I think we are waiting to see what the regulations are at the moment and there are discussions with the FIA about whether the engine is an evolution of the current engine, is it something radically different.

"Those discussions are ongoing and of course, we are assembling a team that are based on campus here and what that is badged as in the future, time will tell.

"But it has put us in a tremendously strong position for the future and the biggest investment Red Bull has made in Formula 1 since acquiring the team from Jaguar back at the end of 2004."