Fresh from confirmation of their upcoming return to F1, Ford have revealed that they are doing so through a “long-term strategic technical partnership” with Red Bull Powertrains, ahead of the sport’s new engine regulations coming into play.
Earlier on Friday, Ford set out plans to add a fresh chapter to their trophy-laden F1 story, having powered 10 constructors’ championships and 13 drivers’ championships over the years – from Lotus and Graham Hill back in 1968 to Benetton and Michael Schumacher in 1994.
READ MORE: Ford announce plans to return to F1 from the 2026 season
Starting in 2023, Ford and Red Bull Powertrains – the Milton Keynes team’s dedicated engine division – will develop a next-gen power unit to supply both Red Bull Racing and the sister AlphaTauri operation from 2026 until at least 2030.
Based around the current turbocharged 1.6-litre power unit, F1’s future engine regulations will feature increased electrical power and 100% sustainable fuels, while also improving safety and lowering costs for manufacturers.
A giant of both the motorsport world and the automotive industry, Ford are set to provide expertise in several areas of development “including battery cell and electric motor technology as well as power unit control software and analytics”.
“This is the start of a thrilling new chapter in Ford’s motorsports story that began when my great-grandfather [Henry Ford] won a race that helped launch our company,” said Bill Ford, Executive Chairman, Ford Motor Company.
“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.”
READ MORE: Formula 1 on course to deliver 100% sustainable fuels for 2026
Jim Farley, President and CEO, Ford Motor Company, commented: “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.
“F1 will be an incredibly cost-effective platform to innovate, share ideas and technologies, and engage with tens of millions of new customers.”
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Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner added: “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.
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“2026 is still a while a way but for us the work already starts as we look to a new future and a continued evolution of Oracle Red Bull Racing.”
Farley stressed that Ford will be “competing to win” in F1, with new partner Red Bull entering the 2023 campaign looking to build on claiming both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships last year.
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