Zak Brown calls for FIA talks on deployment concerns while Red Bull engine impresses
Zak Brown was impressed by the Red Bull engine in Barcelona
McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown believes that the top four from last season remains in place, based on what he saw at the Barcelona closed-doors shakedown.
In what order though, is unclear to Brown, who also sees work to be done with the FIA over energy management with the new generation of engines. Speaking of engines, the first creation which Red Bull put on the track in Barcelona was “very strong” from what Brown saw.
Zak Brown addresses Red Bull engine and energy management
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Anticipation continues to build for the F1 2026 campaign, as a new era begins for the sport with smaller, lighter cars, active aerodynamics, plus 50/50 electric and biofuel engines.
The new cars unofficially hit the track for the first time in a five-day test, held at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya from 26-30 January. It was a test closed to the media and public, though unofficial times and lap counts did trickle through.
While unofficial, verified timings had Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton as the overall pacesetter of the test. He was believed to have clocked a 1:16.348 late in the final day on soft tyres.
“It looks like the big four are the big four. Hard to know yet in what order,” said Brown via the David Land YouTube channel, in a nod to McLaren, Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull remaining the top four teams.
“If you went to Vegas today, I think Mercedes looks like the favourite sitting here right now, but a long way to go.
“Williams didn’t make it out. Aston [Martin] only got out at the very end, so you have no idea where Williams stands.
“I think the grid will be more spread out, which is to be expected in a new formula for a little bit. So last year in Abu Dhabi, I think a second covered the entire field. I would anticipate it being two or three seconds covers the entire field, but that’s normal.”
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With the increased reliance on electrical power in this new formula, energy deployment and management is expected to play an increasingly important role in performance.
One concern ahead of the new ruleset was that the engines would run out of energy before the end of the straight in some cases, creating a need for downshifting, plus lifting and coasting.
Various drivers confirmed this after sampling the new cars in Barcelona, and while the overall driver reaction was not negative, Brown does hope that work can be done with Formula 1’s governing body, the FIA, to address this matter.
“We’re going to have to learn how to race these cars a little bit differently, because they run out of deployment,” Brown continued.
“So I still think there’s some work to be done with the FIA to refine the rules to make sure that while there’s strategy in how you deploy the battery and the energy, that we’re not running out of energy at the end of straits and getting into lift and coast.
“I don’t think that will be visible to the fan, because we were three, four seconds off what was last year’s pace, but you can’t see that.”
There are also new teams and engine manufacturers coming into play for F1 2026.
Red Bull has designed its own engine for the first time, working in partnership with Ford as the American automotive giant makes its return to the sport.
The Audi F1 works team has been formed via a takeover of Sauber, while Cadillac has arrived as a new, 11th team.
Despite the Red Bull Ford engine project being one designed from scratch, the power unit apparently ran seamlessly in Barcelona in the back of the Red Bull RB22, and Racing Bulls VCARB 03.
“The Red Bull engine was very strong,” Brown commented. “I think everyone was, let’s say, pleasantly surprised.
“I’d rather them not be as competitive, but impressed with what they’ve done, because they came out, they did a lot of miles, and they seem to be very competitive.”
Next up is the first, official pre-season test in Bahrain, taking place between 11-13 February. A second test in the nation follows from 18-20 February.
The season-opening Australian Grand Prix takes place on 8 March.
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