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Ford bringing battery and hybrid tech to Red Bull
Ford will supply battery and hybrid technology under the new power unit regulations to Red Bull when it returns to Formula 1 in 2026.
The American automotive giant was last involved in F1 in 2004 when it sold its works team -- then running under the Jaguar name -- to Red Bull. But it has now confirmed a tie-up with the team it sold Jaguar to, with funding and technical input forming the basis of a 2026 partnership that will see both Red Bull and AlphaTauri running Ford-badged power units.
Ford’s input is largely focused on the electrification aspects, but global director for Ford Performance Motorsports, Mark Rushbrook, says the main hub will be at Red Bull’s existing F1 campus to ensure the best possible collaboration.
“The foundation of the Red Bull Racing team and Red Bull Ford Powertrains is in Milton Keynes,” Rushbrook told RACER. “It’s really good seeing on that campus the very focused effort, because to put the best race car on the track and two in, you’ve got to have the best total car with the power unit integrated as part of it. So that all needs to live together.
“What they already had in plans in terms of the new building for the powertrains team, new dynos, test infrastructure there - that’s the right place to keep the focal point, physically. Certainly we have significant global resources that can contribute to that, so where it makes sense to do work and testing in other parts of the world using our resources, we will use those.
“The people focus will also be in Milton Keynes but supported with our global team that we also have. We’ve got people in the United States, in Europe and in Australia supporting all of our racing programs. That will continue, and we’ll ultimately have some people on-site in Milton Keynes as part of the power unit development.”
The deal means Red Bull’s partnership with Honda will end after 2025, having carried Max Verstappen to his first drivers’ championship in 2021 and then been the basis for a title double last season when Red Bull Powertrains took over the Honda IP and running of the engines.
From Ford's perspective, RACER understands the investment in Formula 1 will not have any impact on its existing motorsport programs.
https://twitter.com/FordPerformance/status/1621523314060709888?s=20&t=5obeHLHnRv9O_Ezw0GnmbA
Chris Medland
While studying Sports Journalism at the University of Central Lancashire, Chris managed to talk his way into working at the British Grand Prix in 2008 and was retained for three years before joining ESPN F1 as Assistant Editor. After three further years at ESPN, a spell as F1 Editor at Crash Media Group was followed by the major task of launching F1i.com’s English-language website and running it as Editor. Present at every race since the start of 2014, he has continued building his freelance portfolio, working with international titles. As well as writing for RACER, his broadcast work includes television appearances on F1 TV and as a presenter and reporter on North America's live radio coverage on SiriusXM.
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