P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Red Bull point the finger at bitter F1 rivals Mercedes ahead of 2026.
Red Bull has accused F1 rivals Mercedes of hyping their supposed power unit advantage. The upcoming F1 season is highly anticipated, with new cars and engines possibly reshuffling the competitive order. Mercedes has been favored early on, sparking speculation about their engine innovation. Red Bull’s Powertrains director, Ben Hodgkinson, questions the origins of the buzz, suggesting it may have been self-generated by Mercedes for strategic reasons. Max Verstappen remains unfazed by the rumors, focusing on his driving as Red Bull ventures into manufacturing their own engine with Ford. Verstappen emphasizes that his role is to drive, leaving the technicalities to the team and engine manufacturers.
