The RBPT project plan threatening to derail Max Verstappen Mercedes move

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner believes Max Verstappen is gaining “confidence” from seeing the scale of their F1 2026 power unit programme.

2026 will mark a year of great change in Formula 1, as not only will the chassis regulations be overhauled, but a new generation of power units to be bolted into them will also arrive on the scene.

Will Red Bull PU project end Max Verstappen to Mercedes prospect?

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher and Sam Cooper

This regulatory reset is particularly significant for Red Bull who – in partnership with Ford – will become a power unit manufacturer in their own right from F1 2026, their creation powering the works team and junior outfit VCARB.

The last time that the PU regulations were re-written – back in 2014 when the V6 turbo-hybrid era began – it was Mercedes who came firing out of the blocks with the best creation, the German manufacturer confident once more for the task at hand for F1 2026.

This has seen Verstappen strongly linked with a move to the Silver Arrows, whose team boss Toto Wolff has made his desire to sign the Dutchman clear, but Horner believes Verstappen takes confidence in the Red Bull Powertrains project from what he is seeing, the three-time World Champion constantly kept in the loop.

“We keep him updated, and every time he comes by, he sees more engines running and more progress,” Horner is quoted by Motorsport-Total.com.

“He’s part of this journey, and I actually find it quite exciting. He shows a great interest in the development that is currently taking place.

“It almost goes back to his karting days and the engine tuning back then. I think it just gives him confidence when he sees how big the effort and investment is.

“This is the biggest single investment Red Bull has ever made in motorsport.”

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Mercedes has made major strides in 2024 having previously struggled to contend with Verstappen and Red Bull in F1’s ground effect era, the team claiming back-to-back victories, with Lewis Hamilton’s record ninth British Grand Prix win coming from pure pace after a front-row lockout.

However, Wolff interestingly does not think that Verstappen should consider moving to Mercedes until the eight-time Constructors’ Champions have shown that they can win consistently again.

“I think we still need to look at ourselves and say: ‘What can we do in order to have a car that is able to race with these two [Verstappen and Lando Norris] at the front and do it more regularly?’” Wolff told media including PlanetF1.com.

“And I think this is a moment where we can say that we can be a harbour port or destination for the best drivers, including Max.

“But we’re not there yet, so if I was him I wouldn’t be considering such a move. Yet.”

Verstappen looks well set to claim a fourth World Championship in a row, his lead at the top of the Drivers’ Championship 84 points over Norris.

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