Red Bull and Ford team up for 2026

Red Bull will therefore not have taken long to find an ally after the premature end of his expected alliance with Porsche. The Milton Keynes team has just announced a partnership with the American manufacturer Ford from 2026, when the new engine regulations will be introduced in Formula 1. 

The team led by Christian Horner, who has created its own engine department (Red Bull Powertrains) since the withdrawal of Honda at the end of 2021, was indeed looking for a manufacturer able to support it, among other things, on the electrical part of the engine, reason why advanced discussions with Porsche were held last year. Only problem, Red Bull was looking for a partner, where Porsche did not only intend to limit its involvement to the engine, which ended up scaring the Marko-Horner duo and condemning the project. 

Between Ford and Red Bull Powertrains, the distribution of roles seems quite clear. The American manufacturer will make its contribution on the engine side, but Red Bull will keep control as the team. “Ford will provide its technical expertise in all areas where it can add value to the Red Bull team, we learn in the press release. The compartments in question will notably concern the development of the combustion engine, the electrical development part with everything relating in particular to batteries but also the control and analysis systems.

An engine entity renamed Red Bull Ford Powertrains

The engine entity will therefore be renamed Red Bull Ford Powertrains and will therefore produce a brand new 350kW electric motor as well as a new internal combustion engine. It will supply the Red Bull teams and Alpha Tauri from 2026 until at least 2030.

“Ford's return to Formula 1 alongside Red Bull Racing is not so much a question of where we have been in the past, but rather where we are going, with increasingly electric, software-defined vehicles, modern vehicles and experiences”, said Jim Farley, CEO of Ford Motor Company. “F1 will be an incredibly profitable platform to innovate, share ideas and technologies and interact with tens of millions of new customers. » 

“It’s fantastic to welcome Ford back to Formula 1 through this partnership”, declared for his part Christian Horner, director of the Oracle Red Bull Racing team. “As an independent engine manufacturer, being able to benefit from the experience of a supplier like Ford puts us in a good position to compete. It is a manufacturer with a rich automotive history that spans several generations. From Jim Clark to Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher, these names speak for themselves.”

Ford committed on all fronts

“For us, Red Bull Powertrains, to open the next chapter of this dynasty, under the Red Bull Ford name, is extremely exciting. 2026 is still a long way off, but for us the work is already beginning as we look towards a new future and continued evolution of Oracle Red Bull Racing.”  

In 2026, the Detroit brand will therefore be invested in Formula 1, in WEC and IMSA via the Mustang GT3, in WRC via M-Sport, and notably at the Dakar with the Ranger Raptor. The design of such an engine being extremely complex, Ford and Red Bull will begin work this year in order to be ready for 2026. 

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