Red Bull Racing and their sister outfit Racing Bulls have reached a new agreement with power unit supplier Honda that will allow both teams to continue running Honda engines in Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) programmes over the next two seasons.
While Formula 1’s regulations strictly limit on-track testing with current machinery, teams are permitted to conduct TPC sessions using cars that are at least two years old. These programmes play a crucial role in driver development, simulator correlation, and operational preparation. However, running such tests requires the correct power unit specification from the relevant era, as older chassis are typically incompatible with newer engine designs.
Under standard arrangements, customer teams lease their engines from manufacturers for the duration of a season. Once the campaign concludes, those power units are usually returned to the supplier. That has been the case in previous years for Red Bull and Racing Bulls, who have operated Honda power units during their competitive campaigns.
With both teams now evolving their long-term engine strategies, retaining access to older Honda units for TPC running required a fresh contractual agreement. Without such a deal in place, the teams would not be able to legally or practically use those engines in older-spec cars for testing purposes.
The renewed partnership ensures continuity and flexibility. It allows Red Bull and Racing Bulls to maintain valuable track time opportunities for reserve drivers, junior prospects, and even race drivers needing additional mileage outside of official race weekends. TPC sessions have increasingly become a strategic tool across the grid, offering teams a controlled environment to fine-tune procedures and assess talent without breaching F1’s strict testing limitations.
For Honda, the agreement reinforces its technical relationship with the Milton Keynes-based organisation, even as the sport continues to evolve under upcoming regulatory cycles. For Red Bull and Racing Bulls, it guarantees access to proven machinery that remains vital for development and performance optimisation behind the scenes.
In a sport where preparation can define championship outcomes, this renewed Honda arrangement provides both teams with a subtle but significant competitive advantage away from the spotlight of Grand Prix weekends.