Ford announces Red Bull partnership for F1 return

After making the announcement regarding its return to Formula One, Ford has also officially announced that it will be partnering with Red Bull when it returns to the sport in 2026. The Red Bull and AlphaTauri F1 teams will both use Ford engines from the 2026 season onwards.

The announcement of the partnership between Ford and Red Bull was made during Red Bull’s livery launch for their RB19 car for the upcoming season, in New York. 

Following Honda’s decision to walk away from the sport, Red Bull had set up a new division to build its own engine called Red Bull Powertrains. Ford will be providing support to the team and also provide technical input and work together on the development of a hybrid power unit to supply engines to both Red Bull and AlphaTauri. 

Christian Horner, Team Principal, Red Bull Racing, 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 Oracle Red Bull Racing.“

Jim Farley, President and CEO, Ford, 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.“

Bill Ford, Executive Chair, Ford, said:

“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. 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.“

Mark Rushbrook, Global Director, Ford Performance, said:

“The numbers globally are enormous for Formula One. Especially in the United States, where the growth and diversity of the fans is enormous. That’s important for us. We don’t want to just race and learn technology. We need to do that. We must do that. But we also must be able to connect with fans. With Red Bull and AlphaTauri, that’s exactly what we will be able to do.“

For Ford, its return with Red Bull is coming full circle, as the company owned and ran the Jaguar F1 team in the early 2000s, which it sold to Red Bull in 2004.