Ford, the manufacturer of legendary American cars, and Red Bull Powertrains have signed a long-term strategic technical partnership for the development of new generation hybrid engines that will be used starting from the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Red Bull Ford announced that it will provide power units for both Oracle Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri teams from 2026 until at least 2030.
Ford “Executive Chair” Bill Ford said in a statement: “This partnership is an exciting new chapter in our motorsport story, which began with my great-grandfather winning the race that was critical to the founding of our company. Ford returns to the top of the sport with world champions and Oracle Red Bull Racing, bringing its tradition of innovation, sustainability and electrification to one of the world’s most visible stages.” he said.
As of this year, Ford and Red Bull Powertrains will begin to develop the power unit, which includes a 350 kW electric motor and an internal combustion engine running on sustainable fuels, in accordance with new technical regulations, to be ready for the 2026 season.
“Ford’s return to Formula 1 is the result of our company’s increased focus on electric, modern and software-defined vehicles and experiences. F1 is a highly cost-effective platform to innovate, share ideas and technologies, and reach millions of new customers,” said Jim Farley, Ford President and CEO.
Ford will provide technical expertise in all areas where it can add value to its leading team in the world championship. It will carry out joint studies in the fields of internal combustion engine development, battery cell, electric motor technologies, power unit control software and analytics.
Christian Horner, Oracle Red Bull Racing Team President and CEO, said: “It’s great to see Ford back in Formula 1 through this partnership. As an independent engine manufacturer, having the opportunity to benefit from the experience of an OEM like Ford will give us an advantage in the competition. Ford has a very rich racing history going back generations. Names ranging from Jim Clark to Ayrton Senna to Michael Schumacher are enough to describe it. It is extremely important for the Red Bull Powertrains team to bring the next chapter of this strong history to life as Red Bull Ford.” It’s exciting. Although 2026 sounds far away, for us the work for the future and change of Oracle Red Bull Racing has already begun.
Ford, the number 2 electric vehicle company in the USA with the success of the F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E and the leader in many markets with E-Transit, is investing $50 billion to lead the electric vehicle transformation worldwide. Ford is working to meet the growing demand for electric vehicles and produce 600,000 electric vehicles annually globally by the end of this year and 2 million electric vehicles worldwide by the end of 2026 as part of the Ford plan.
Ford in 2026; It will be the only manufacturer to compete in all racing disciplines, from WEC and IMSA to Formula 1, including Le Mans 24 Hours with the Mustang GT3, WRC with the M-Sport Ford Puma Hybrid Rally1, Baja 1000 with the Ranger Raptor and Bronco, and NASCAR, NHRA and Supercars with the Mustang.
“We are entering an exciting new era for Ford Performance,” said Jim Farley. “We will race to win F1, the pinnacle of motorsport, with Red Bull Racing. You will see the world’s most popular sports car, the Mustang, race from grassroots races to Australian Supercars, from NASCAR to Le Mans. We will also demonstrate our leadership in the off-road field with the World Rally Championship, King of Hammers and Baha 1000 and more. On the one hand, we will continue to excite the world with great vehicles such as the SuperVan 4 and the Mustang Mach-E 1400.”
Comments
You can write your views about this story. Comments may be moderated according to site settings.