Brundle fears Red Bull in 2026: ‘It’s a new company, even though it’s backed by Ford’

Martin Brundle is very worried about the future of Formula 1. New regulations will be introduced in 2026, in terms of engines and aerodynamics. Although the engine regulations have been decided, the Brit fears a repeat of Mercedes’ dominance from 2014, when the aerodynamic rules have yet to be determined.

This could be the biggest rule change in the history of the game that teams will have to deal with in 2026, at least that is based on the current, yet to be determined regulations. “I’m getting nervous,” commentator Brundle opens Sky Sports F1-podcast. “We still have 22 months before the 2026 cars are on the road. The rules are not yet finalised, although we will have active aerodynamics. The wing positions will also be more varied than what we see now with the DRS system,” says Brit.

The former Formula 1 driver also shows significant changes in terms of power units. ‘Batteries will also provide more power. This will probably make the cars heavier and more complex. They also need to make sure they understand charging and delivering battery power.”

Concerns about Audi and Red Bull

As far as Brundle is concerned, Formula 1 is behind. “I think these rules should have been put in place more than a year ago,” says Brundle, who worries about the two new engine manufacturers’ lack of experience. ‘Furthermore, with Audi you also have a new team, and with Red Bull Powertrains you also have a new company, with the support of Ford. There are many unknowns, and I hope the rules will be good,” the former driver points his fingers.

In 2014, Mercedes emerged as having a better power unit than the competition, partly due to the fact that the German manufacturer started building a hybrid engine earlier. Brundle is still upset about this change, more than a decade later. “These hybrid engines were probably the worst choice ever made with Formula 1,” is the scathing criticism. ‘Cars have become bigger and heavier, but cars are fast and attractive. Things are going well now, but the early years were a drama. We don’t want to witness that again, what happened in 2014: that one team was more powerful, or one team will now be more powerful in terms of aerodynamics. That’s a shame.’

Status as of 2025

Brundle also fears what the big changes will mean for 2025. ‘What you see now in 2024, you’ll see again in 2025. Who has the resources, the budget, and the time to put so much time into a 2025 car, when such big changes are looming in 2026?’ Brundle’s wonders. “So I think the teams are getting worried about when they will know the rules for 2026. They need some certainty. Fortunately, the teams are very smart, and they will figure it out again.’

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