Red Bull Racing team principal Laurent Mekies has dismissed paddock rumors that his team possesses the strongest engine on the Formula One grid, identifying Mercedes as the clear performance benchmark.
The comments came during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, ahead of an upcoming evaluation by the International Automobile Federation (FIA).
The FIA will assess all power units next week to determine eligibility for the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) system.
The framework permits extra development for manufacturers lagging by two percent or more behind the top-performing engine.
Mercedes Leads, Red Bull in Second Tier
Mekies addressed recent political discussions in the paddock, including statements from Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff suggesting only one manufacturer required developmental assistance.
“The game of drawing up a ranking already starts at the tests in Bahrain, but let's not get into that.
The only thing we can deduce from the data is that Mercedes is clearly ahead and that one team [Honda] is far behind,” Mekies stated.
The Red Bull Racing team boss indicated that internal tracking places their operation in a secondary performance tier alongside Scuderia Ferrari and Audi, rather than at the front.
“It is very difficult to obtain honest performance data on the combustion engines from all teams.
I think the overall results probably give the best and most objective picture of everyone's situation.
Internally, however, we estimate that Mercedes' advantage is at least three tenths per lap,” he said.
Rapid Progress at Red Bull Ford Powertrains
Mekies, who succeeded Christian Horner as CEO and team boss in 2025, praised the rapid progress achieved by Red Bull Ford Powertrains at the Milton Keynes campus since its establishment in 2022.
“So you want us to join that game too?” Mekies remarked when asked about the ranking speculation.
He highlighted that the engine manufacturing program started from an empty lot behind the main factory just a few years ago.
“I can only tell you how we see the order,” Mekies said.
The executive emphasized that competing effectively against established power unit suppliers remains a phenomenal achievement for the young program.
“We think the people at Red Bull Ford Powertrains have achieved something extraordinary,” he said.
The engineering division managed to build a competitive powertrain despite having significantly less historical data and development time than its rivals.
“A few years ago it was literally an empty lot behind the Red Bull factory,” Mekies noted.
Despite this rapid growth, Mekies firmly denied that Red Bull holds the top spot in the current power structure.
“What has been built there is phenomenal,” he added.
The team principal noted that Mercedes maintains a distinct advantage, amplified by supplying power units to a total of eight cars on the grid.
“We think Mercedes currently has the strongest power unit,” Mekies stated.
According to Mekies, the data shows a consistent deficit when tracking Red Bull cars against Mercedes-powered competitors.
“That means eight cars,” he said.
The executive declined to provide specific telemetry numbers to avoid further political complications within the paddock.
“That is very significant,” Mekies remarked.
Red Bull management aligned with Wolff's assessment regarding the struggles facing Honda in the new engine era.
“We see ourselves in the same group as Ferrari and Audi,” Mekies explained.
The Japanese manufacturer faces a difficult start to the current technical cycle, positioning them as a primary candidate for extra upgrades.
“Don't ask me to give numbers, because then it becomes political,” Mekies stated.
Data evaluation following the Canadian Grand Prix will dictate the official baseline measurements used by the governing body.
“We see a consistent difference compared to the Mercedes-powered cars,” Mekies noted.
Mekies concluded that the field will soon observe how the technical calculations translate into official development allowances.
“It's probably fair to say that Honda is still behind that,” he said.
The initial evaluation window concluded at the Montreal circuit, with formal results expected prior to the next event.
“How that ultimately turns out in the FIA's calculations, we will find out soon enough,” Mekies stated.
While rival teams look for parity adjustments, Mercedes remains the sole manufacturer expected to be excluded from receiving the extra upgrade opportunities.
“Are you asking us to play along?” Mekies asked.
The Red Bull team boss maintained his stance on the competitive hierarchy during interviews at the track.
“No, seriously: I can only give you what we see as the order. Do with it what you want.
Today we think Mercedes is above the field in terms of powertrain. That's eight cars, so that's significant.
Behind that we see a group with ourselves, Ferrari and Audi,” Mekies stated.
The governing body plans to release the final calculations within two weeks, before the Monaco race weekend begins.
“I think it's fair to say that we estimate Honda further behind. How that fits into the calculation the FIA is trying to make?
We'll know soon enough,” Mekies concluded.
