Mekies: Red Bull not ready to supply engines to other F1 teams

Red Bull is not yet ready to supply its Formula 1 power unit to another team, team principal Laurent Mekies said, amid rumours that Aston Martin could seek an alternative to Honda. Red Bull Ford Powertrains has been linked to that possibility, but Mekies said it is not in serious discussions with teams about supplying engines.

Red Bull’s internal-combustion engine emerged as the strongest in FIA tests. Mekies joked that the result had brought “unwanted positive publicity”; that status also prevents Red Bull from making upgrades under the ADUO system.

Mekies did not rule out supplying more teams over the longer term, but said he could not predict what would happen over the next five years. Red Bull first needs to improve the power unit’s performance, optimise its integration into the car and reach the level of its best competitors before it could consider supplying an additional team alongside Racing Bulls, he said.

He said there would be no change to Red Bull’s engine-supply plans in the coming period, at least over the next year.