Racing Bulls: “No magic” in taking gearbox and suspension from Red Bull

Racing Bulls says there may be “no magic” from the crew taking as many components as allowed by the Method 1 laws from father or mother squad Purple Bull, amid unease over itself and Haas.

For 2025 Racing Bulls is sharing Purple Bull’s Honda engines in addition to taking the Milton Keynes outfit’s gearbox and each entrance and rear suspension, growing its synergy with its father or mother crew in comparison with earlier seasons.

Its relationship with Purple Bull prompted unease from the likes of McLaren at the start of last year, and whereas the hype round Racing Bulls’ efficiency died down because it struggled to enhance on its 2023 outcomes, there was recent consideration on the quickly bettering Haas crew, which additionally has a novel enterprise mannequin that depends on components taken from Ferrari.

Some groups have been questioning whether or not rivals ought to proceed to be allowed to take gearboxes and suspensions as they transfer up the grid, though a suggestion to pressure midfield groups to supply their very own components as soon as they end within the prime 5 of the constructors’ championship has gone nowhere.

In response to Racing Bulls crew boss Mekies, the foundations enabling the usage of shareable parts have helped F1 be extra aggressive by permitting lower-end groups to focus their efforts on chassis and aerodynamics, however their modest outcomes present it hasn’t given them an enormous benefit both.

“There was a degree of hype at first of final yr the place, I assume individuals felt there could possibly be some magic in the truth that any person takes a gearbox and suspension,” Mekies informed Motorsport.com.

“But it surely’s not a brand new regulation. It has been there for 15 years, and you’ve got by no means seen guys that will probably be taking this stuff from any person else, immediately combating for the championship, or combating for the highest three or the highest 4, it simply by no means occurred.

“So, it’s what it’s. Lobbying is a part of Method 1, however I feel the truth of the grid is that most likely greater than ever. You had the highest 4 groups and the remainder of the world. And I feel as a sport, the shareable parts are very a lot there for that, to keep away from that you’ve got a division one and division two, and that we are able to race with 20 vehicles in a aggressive, tight subject. And I feel from that standpoint, nothing has modified.

“Do you anticipate that 2026 laws will produce one thing else? No, if something, the grid could also be extra unfold out at first of ’26 as a result of that is what new laws do. So something you’ve gotten that may keep away from that unfold to be too huge is nice.”

Mekies argued it would not make sense for smaller groups to supply all the things in-house anyway because the sequence emphasises effectivity and sustainability beneath its funds cap.

He questioned, “Do the followers care if in case you have your personal gearbox or not? However you might push the pondering a bit additional.

“Is it proper to spend that sort of cash on gearbox growth? What for? So, I feel it was only a smart resolution made at a time once we are attempting to maintain the associated fee beneath management and to get the sector a bit much less unfold out.

“And I feel it contributed to that and it permits a enterprise mannequin like ours or Haas’ to exist without having so as to add one other X quantity of individuals. We’re greater than 600 for a midfield crew. I feel it ought to be sufficient to run two vehicles…!”