When the engine regulations undergo a major revamp ahead of the 2026 season, many teams will be chopping and changing their engine suppliers.
Audi will complete their takeover of Sauber and produce their own power units while Red Bull will part ways with Honda to become powered by Red Bull Powertrains.
The new engine manufacturer have partnered with Ford to form Red Bull Ford and will be looking for potential customer teams to supply their engines too.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has now revealed that he has held talks with McLaren CEO Zak Brown about supplying McLaren’s engines from 2026 onwards.
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“I thought he [Brown] was coming for lunch,” joked Horner when discussing Red Bull Powertrains’ negotiations with the McLaren boss.
“It’s obvious that, as a power unit manufacturer for 2026, it’s inevitable that discussions are going to be held regarding potential powertrain supply.
“That’s only natural that we would speak with potential customers.”
McLaren are currently powered by Mercedes but are reportedly exploring their options ahead of the engine regulation changes in 2026.
The team have been linked with a sensational return to Honda, who will want to remain in the sport after parting ways with Red Bull.
Honda powered McLaren before they switched to Mercedes engines, with Fernando Alonso famously calling the Honda engine a “GP2 engine,” such was its competitiveness.
It has also been rumoured that McLaren could become powered by Cadillac, should Andretti-Cadillac be allowed to join the grid in 2026 as an 11th team.
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McLaren will be hoping to find a power unit supplier that can help them return to championship winning contention, something which the team hope to do within the next five years.
A new state-of-the-art wind tunnel facility is set to become operational for McLaren later this year, giving the team the technology required to build a championship winning car in the future.
Lando Norris will be hoping that McLaren make all of the right choices moving forward, as the Brit looks to capitalise on his title winning potential without having to move away from the team which gave him his F1 debut.