After more than two decades, Ford is returning to Formula 1.
The iconic American automaker and Red Bull Powertrains are entering into a long-term strategic technical partnership for the development of the next-gen hybrid power unit to be used from the 2026 Formula 1 season onwards.
Red Bull Ford will provide the power units for both the Oracle Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri teams from 2026 to at least 2030.
Starting from 2023, Ford and Red Bull Powertrains will team up to develop the power unit that will be part of the new technical regulations, including a 350kW electric motor and a new combustion engine able to accept fully sustainable fuels, ready for the 2026 season.
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, President and CEO of Ford Motor Company. “F1 will be an incredibly cost-effective platform to innovate, share ideas and technologies, and engage with tens of millions of new customers.”
Ford will provide technical expertise in all areas where it can add value to the front-running World Championship team. Areas to be explored together are in the combustion engine development and key areas such as battery-cell and electric motor technology, power unit control software and analytics.
In 2026, Ford will be the only manufacturer competing in racing disciplines from grassroots motorsports to Formula 1 comprising WEC and IMSA, including Le Mans 24 Hours with Mustang GT3, WRC with the M-Sport Ford Puma Hybrid Rally1, Baja 1000 with Ranger Raptor and Bronco, and NASCAR, NHRA and Supercars with Mustang. Ford continues to leverage its racing efforts to speed up innovations, latest technologies and software to consumers and will continue to do so through this new partnership at the pinnacle of Motorsports for future Ford electric vehicles.
“We are entering an exciting new age for Ford Performance,” said Farley. “We will be competing to win in F1, the pinnacle of motor sport, 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 and 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.”
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I have bad reflexes. I was once run over by a car being pushed by two guys
Woody Allen
Ford will launch seven new models in Europe by 2029, it announced recently, as it seeks to grow its flagging passenger car sales, fend off fierce competition from Chinese rivals and maintain an edge in the continent's commercial vehicle market.
The battle between Chinese carmakers and their Japanese competitors in South Africa increasingly appears to be a fait accompli in favour of the newcomers from China.
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