SUZUKA, JAPAN - APRIL 07: Oracle Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner looks on from the grid prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Japan at Suzuka International Racing Course on April 07, 2024 in Suzuka, Japan. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images).

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner admitted that the team is right where it “expects to be” regarding its learning curve about the 2026 engine project.

The Milton Keynes outfit will be working with Ford starting in 2026 for the production of its Formula 1 engines. Horner confirmed that all the facilities are ready and the targets that Red Bull had set are being hit.

The Britton admitted that hitting the required targets doesn’t mean being the most competitive team, as he is not sure about how the other outfits are doing in terms of development. However, not having issues is surely promising.

“Our facilities are complete, both from a test and development point of view with dynos and rig rooms, etc, and manufacturing capability.

“But two years in the engine world is a very small period of time. We’re on a steep learning curve, but we’re on that curve and where we would expect to be on that curve at this point in time.

“We are hitting the targets that we’re setting ourselves,” he said. “Now, how those targets stack up to our competitors is always difficult to know. But the effort that’s going in behind the scenes is huge because it is literally a race against the clock to the start of 2026.”