2026 will be a big year for Formula 1, as not only will Audi complete their takeover of Sauber and join the grid for the first time, but the sport will also undergo a major change in engine regulations.
Every engine manufacturer will have to sign up to the new rules and formally enter for the 2026 season, a process which has been more complicated for some than others.
The initial deadline for entries of October 15th was extended by a month after only Audi agreed to sign up, with the other manufacturers choosing to negotiate further with the FIA.
As the new deadline approached it was still not plain sailing for a lot of teams, with a number of teams still not having signed up to the new rules despite the deadline extension.
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Christian Horner has confirmed that Red Bull, who made the switch to become an independent engine manufacturer in recent years, have entered for 2026 after agreeing to the new rules.
“The deadlines were extended but there’s an awful lot of discussion about governance and tidying up some of the technical regs and obviously financial regs as well,” he explained.
“But as a newcomer for 2026, Red Bull Powertrains has entered.”
Alpine are currently one of the teams that are yet to sign up for 2026, but CEO Laurent Rossi has assured fans that his team will joining Red Bull in signing up in the coming weeks.
“At some point, when we reach a level in discussions where we think we’re in a good position, we sign- or we’re going to sign. I think it’s imminent,” he said.
The confusion over deadlines has been a factor in some team’s delay in agreeing to the rule changes, with Toto Wolff suggesting that Mercedes are all signed up, but that there was no formal deadline for teams to sign up by.
“There was no formal deadline, and we have entered – that has happened,” said the Austrian team principal.
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“Now it’s about the FIA to talk to everyone else and these discussions are progressing as far as I understand. We are on course for 2026.”
Of the teams yet to sign up, the most high profile would be Ferrari, with Mattia Binotto yet to comment on his team’s stance on the new regulations.
The Scuderia’s decision will affect Haas as their powertrain provider, so Formula 1 will be hoping for a quick conclusion to negotiations with the teams yet to sign up.