Red Bull is set for “a new future” in Formula 1 after officially confirming a historic partnership with Ford.
Following what will be a two-decade absence from the pinnacle of motorsport, automotive giant Ford is to join forces with Red Bull Powertrains from the 2026 season for a minimum of five years through to at least 2030.
In what has been described as “a long-term strategic partnership”, Ford will assist with the development of the next-gen hybrid power unit that will grace F1 in three years’ time, with engines supplied to both Red Bull and AlphaTauri.
“This is the start of a thrilling new chapter in Ford’s motorsports story that began when my great-grandfather won a race that helped launch our company,” said Bill Ford, executive chair.
“Ford, alongside world champions, Oracle Red Bull Racing, is returning to the pinnacle of the sport, bringing Ford’s long tradition of innovation, sustainability and electrification to one of the world’s most visible stages.”
With immediate effect in building up to the 2026 season, Ford will lend its technical expertise in a number of areas, including combustion engine development, battery cell and electric motor technology, PU control software and analytics.
“Ford’s return to Formula 1 with Red Bull Racing is all about where we are going as a company – increasingly electric, software-defined, modern vehicles and experiences,” said Jim Farley, Ford Motor Company president and CEO.
“F1 will be an incredibly cost-effective platform to innovate, share ideas and technologies, and engage with tens of millions of new customers.”
Ford ‘rich history’ to again resonate in F1 with Red Bull
In 2026, Ford will be the only manufacturer to be competing in racing disciplines from grassroots motorsports to Formula 1.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said: “It’s fantastic to be welcoming Ford back into Formula 1 through this partnership.
“As an independent engine manufacturer, to have the ability to benefit from an OEM’s experience like Ford, puts us in good stead against the competition.
“They are a manufacturer rich in motoring history that spans generations. From Jim Clark to Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher, the lineage speaks for itself.
“For us as Red Bull Powertrains to open the next chapter of that dynasty, as Red Bull Ford, is tremendously exciting.
“2026 is still a while away but for us, the work already starts as we look to a new future and a continued evolution of Red Bull Racing.”
Along with F1, Ford’s motorsports portfolio is extensive as it currently comprises WEC and IMSA, including Le Mans 24 Hours, with Mustang GT3; WRC with the M-Sport Ford Puma Hybrid Rally1; Dakar Rally with Ranger Raptor; Baja 1000 with Ranger Raptor and Bronco, and NASCAR, NHRA, and Supercars with Mustang.
“We are entering an exciting new age for Ford Performance,” added Farley. “We will be competing to win in F1, the pinnacle for motorsport, with Red Bull Racing.
“You will see the world’s most popular sports coupe, the Mustang, race from the grassroots to Australian Supercars to NASCAR to Le Mans.
“And we will build our off-road leadership in the World Rally Championship, King of Hammers and to the Baha 1000 and more.
“All the while, we’ll continue to excite the world with cool demonstrators like SuperVan 4 and Mustang Mach-E 1400.”
You can stay across F1 throughout the 2023 season with dates, drivers, key personnel and more with Speedcafe.com’s Key Details reference, available here.
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