Red Bull chief Laurent Mekies has admitted he expects the team "to be trailing" their front-running rivals at the start of the 2026 Formula 1 season.

For the first time since joining the F1 grid in 2005, Red Bull are manufacturing their own engine - in collaboration with US car giant Ford - to coincide with the introduction of new regulations for both power units and chassis.

Max Verstappen narrowly missed out on winning a fifth successive drivers' title for the team last year as McLaren's Lando Norris won the world championship by just two points, but there are major doubts as to whether Red Bull will be strong enough to challenge for honours in 2026 as they adjust to running their own power unit.

Speaking to Sky Sports News as the team revealed their 2026 livery in Detroit on Thursday night, Mekies said: "We know it's going to come with some difficulties. We know we are going to have quite a few sleepless nights and a few headaches, but please bear with us for the first few months.

"Nobody underestimates the size of the mountain that we have to climb. It's the sort of challenge we all want to be associated with, and hopefully, eventually we will come out on top.

"I think it would be naive, to say the least, for us to think that, yes, we have done everything from zero - with great support from Ford - and then we turn up at the first race and we are the same level as people that have been doing it for many years. It's not going to be like that, we are going to be trailing them."

Red Bull are supplying their own engines and those of junior team Racing Bulls. Mercedes build their own engines, which will be also used by reigning constructors' champions McLaren, along with Williams and Alpine. Ferrari are also making their own engines, which will be used by Haas and Cadillac. Audi, who have taken over the Sauber team, are making their own engines, while Red Bull's former supplier Honda are producing power units for Aston Martin.

Despite his concerns around the early stages of the season, which begins with the Australian Grand Prix on March 8, Mekies believes that his squad can make significant ground during their campaign.

Red Bull were struggling to compete with McLaren during the middle phase of last season, before a major upturn in performance - after Mekies had replaced Christian Horner as team principal - saw Verstappen win six of the final nine grands prix.

Mekies added: "We are going to be in an incredibly high development rate season, both on the chassis side and on the power unit side.

"We believe in our people, and therefore the fact that we've put together what we believe is an extremely strong team with extremely strong partners.

"You have seen last year on a season that as the last year of a regulations cycle, you could still see how much the team could do through the season in terms of development," he said.

"We'll take that for 2026 multiplied by three or four in terms of development rate, certainly for us in terms of how much we have to learn. So we take it step by step but with he right level of aggressiveness."

Uncertainty over Red Bull's ability to be competitive in 2026 contributed to doubts around whether Verstappen would stay with the team this year amid speculation linking him to Mercedes.

The Dutchman eventually committed to remaining with Red Bull for at least one more season in late July, but it now remains to be seen how patient he will need - and is willing - to be.

Asked by Sky Sports News whether he is expecting a car that he can compete for victories and titles in this year, Verstappen replied: "Time will tell, right?

"I mean, we don't know. The only thing that I do know is that everyone is giving it everything that they have.

"We are trying to push ahead, we are really trying to maximise everything, but it's not going to be easy, we know that."

For the first time in his F1 career, Verstappen is starting a season without the guidance of Dr Helmut Marko, who was dismissed at the end of 2025 having worked as Red Bull motorsport advisor since the team joined the grid in 2005.

The exit of Marko, who was extremely close with Verstappen and his camp, followed Horner's sacking in July - leaving a new feel to the team's leadership going into 2026.

Reflecting on Marko's departure, Verstappen said: "We had a very emotional call after Abu Dhabi. It will be a bit different.

"All good things come to an end at some point. We'll see each other around anyway. If I'm going to Graz, we'll have lunch together! We have achieved so many great things together, that will always stay on our minds."

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