Red Bull Racing enter the 2026 season with more change than at any point in the Verstappen era. A new power unit, a new team-mate, and a new team principal all converge at Albert Park for the season opener. Here is what to expect from the four-time constructors' champions.
The Red Bull Ford Power Unit
The DM01 — named after late Red Bull chairman Dietrich Mateschitz — is the first power unit designed and built by Red Bull Powertrains in partnership with Ford. It surprised rivals during pre-season testing: Autosport reported that it "surprised friend and foe alike" with its reliability at the Barcelona shakedown, while Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff described it as "the benchmark" in Bahrain testing, citing "outstanding energy deployment from the electric motor." Williams driver Carlos Sainz called it "a step ahead," per Autosport.
Max Verstappen was positive about the new unit. "It's amazing to see that the performance has been very positive," he told Formula1.com. "It's still a work in progress, but I think we've hit the ground running quite well. There's still quite a bit of work to do, but it's normal."
Hadjar Steps Up
Isack Hadjar joins as Verstappen's new team-mate after earning promotion from Racing Bulls. Hadjar secured the seat on the back of an impressive 2025 rookie season that included a podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix and points in 10 races. Team principal Laurent Mekies confirmed Hadjar will have "full support for the year ahead," acknowledging the team needs to "do a better job with the second driver position."
At Racing Bulls, Liam Lawson is now partnered by 18-year-old Arvid Lindblad — the sole rookie on the 2026 grid — after Yuki Tsunoda moved into a reserve driver role.
What to Watch in Melbourne
The key question for Red Bull is whether the DM01's testing advantage translates to race performance. The power unit looked strong, but chassis balance and tyre management — areas where the RB22 showed inconsistency during longer runs in Bahrain — will be tested properly for the first time under competitive conditions at Albert Park.
Go Deeper With Race Data
Access live timing, practice analysis, tyre strategies, and qualifying predictions powered by real F1 data.
Join F1 Race Intel