McLaren consider stunning Formula 1 engine tie-up with Red Bull

McLaren are reportedly exploring possibility teaming up with Red Bull to form a new Formula 1 engine partnership.

🚨 | McLaren are in talks with Red Bull over a shock engine deal

McLaren CEO Zak Brown is said to have visited RBPT earlier this month to discuss a potential deal. A Red Bull spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday that Brown was at their factory.

(via @Independent) pic.twitter.com/9FNhnn4H0C

— RBR Daily (@RedBullUpdates) February 22, 2023

According to The Independent, McLaren CEO Zak Brown visited Red Bull’s Milton Keynes factory earlier this month to hold exploratory talks with the reigning world champions.

Red Bull are currently supplied by Honda but the world champions are creating their own engine division – Red Bull Powertrains – to supply the senior team and sister outfit AlphaTauri from 2026.

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McLaren’s engines are supplied by Mercedes and their current deal is set to run until the end of 2025.

The Woking squad are contemplating their options from 2026 onwards and are understood to have also made initial contact with Honda over a possible F1 reunion.

McLaren are also understood to have been in dialogue with Honda as the Japanese manufacturer weighs up a formal return to Formula 1 as an engine manufacturer in 2026.

“We’re very happy with Mercedes,” Brown said at McLaren’s launch of their 2023 Formula 1 car.

“We have some time to decide what we want to do in 2026 and beyond, I think it’s exciting for Formula 1 to have this many manufacturers coming into the sport.

“I think it shows the growth and excitement for the sport. It’s certainly something Andrea [Stella] and I are in the process of slowly reviewing; we’re not in a big rush and we are very happy with Mercedes, so we’ll see how things play out in the next year or so before we make a decision.”