F1 News
Wolff doesn't expect Red Bull to be at the same power unit level in 2025
- GPblog.com
Red Bull Racing are busy in the background with their own engine department after they signed a deal with Honda to take over the intellectual property. This seems to be going well for the time being, as Max Verstappen 's team has already recruited several people from success team Mercedes.
Fifteen men and an empty building
Toto Wolff has commented on Red Bull Racing's actions before and has seen some of his staff leave. Wolff isn't too worried though, as Mercedes have about 900 staff, so a dozen or so people won't make a difference. It's also a well-known fact of sport that one team takes people from another team.
The goal for Red Bull Racing is of course clear, to develop a powerful engine for 2022 and beyond. But also 2025, when a new powerplant will be introduced into Formula 1. So it's a long-term project for Red Bull Racing and Mercedes doesn't expect the team to be right there in 2025.
Thus Wolff says in conversation with Motorsport.com: "Mercedes and others have been in the sport for many decades building their organisations. Fifteen people and an empty building will not be enough to be competitive with a new power unit in three years' time." He says this not to 'ridicule' Red Bull, but purely because he knows this from experience.
Thus, the Austrian continued, "We do take them very seriously, because they are a great team. They also have the financial resources needed to get the job done. But if we know anything, it is that things in Formula 1 take time. No matter how much money you invest in it, it won't speed up the learning process."