Audi and Ford/Red Bull Powertrains are both currently developing new power units for the first year of the new rules in 2026, while Cadillac intends to enter as a manufacturer in 2028 with the mooted Andretti team.
The change to the new rules is a tricky one, even for the established manufacturers who already have a decade of experience with F1 hybrids, but Gualtieri says it will be harder for those coming in with no knowledge of the previous generation.
As well as creating power units for 2026, they also have to develop new infrastructure, he notes: “It's hard to say because, obviously, I'm not in their facility or in their shoes.
“But in the end, I think that for sure the level of complexity of this product is high. And it's true that preparing for a brand-new project is not an easy task for anyone.
“So I can for sure respect the job that they are doing on this, because for sure you need to learn and to create something that is not only related to design, competencies or skill from the engineering perspective, but also logistics or infrastructure. So they are facing an important and huge challenge as well.”
Source: Autosport