Ford's comeback to F1 comes after a long absence of over two decades. The storied American carmaker and Red Bull Powertrains have entered a long-term strategic technological relationship to create the next-generation hybrid powertrain that will be used starting in the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Hybrid powertrains for Oracle Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri cars will be supplied by Red Bull Ford Powertrains beginning in 2026 and continuing through to at least 2030.
Bill Ford, executive chairman of the firm, said, "This represents the beginning of an exciting new chapter in Ford's motorsports journey, which began when my great-grandfather won a race that helped build our company." Ford and the defending champion Oracle Red Bull Racing, are returning to the top of their sport and bringing Ford's history of technological advancement, environmental consciousness, and electrification to a global audience.
To comply with future technological standards, Ford and Red Bull Powertrains will begin developing a hybrid powertrain in 2023. This powertrain will feature a 350 kW electric motor and a new internal combustion engine that can run on alternate fuel. The new powertrain will debut in the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Ford's return to F1 with Red Bull Racing is in line with the company's future, CEO Jim Farley said, which involves "new automobiles that are more electric and managed by powerful software." "F1 will be a tremendously potent platform to allow for innovation, exchange ideas and technology, and interact with tens of millions of new clients."
Ford has pledged its technical support to the World Championship-winning squad in any area where it might make a difference. The collaboration will focus on improving the internal combustion engine, battery technology, and electric motors, as well as creating the control software of the central unit of the propulsion system and digital analytic systems.
Christian Horner, director and CEO of Oracle Red Bull Racing, remarked, "It is amazing that with this cooperation, we are witnessing the return of Ford to Formula 1." Since we are an independent engine builder, the fact that we can tap into Ford's knowledge and experience gives us a leg up on the competition. Ford has a long and distinguished history in motorsport that spans multiple decades. Historical figures like Jim Clark, Ayrton Senna, and Michael Schumacher speak for themselves. For Red Bull Powertrains, writing the next chapter of that history as Red Bull Ford is extremely thrilling. While there is still a long way to go before 2026, we at Oracle Red Bull Racing have already begun planning for the future and the organization's ongoing development.
Ford is spending $50 billion to be at the forefront of the global electrification revolution. With the success of the Ford F-150 Lightning and Ford Mustang Mach-E, it has become the second-largest producer of electric vehicles in the United States. Additionally, the Ford E-Transit model has made it the market leader in various nations worldwide. As part of its Ford+ initiative, Ford aims to produce 600,000 electric vehicles worldwide each year by the end of 2023 and 2 million units by the end of 2026 to satisfy rising consumer demand.
Ford will be the only car manufacturer to compete in every level of motorsport, from the World Endurance Championship and the International Motor Sports Association to the Formula One World Championship, in a single model year. This includes the World Rally Championship with the M-Sport Ford Puma Hybrid Rally1, the Baja 1000 with the Ford Ranger Raptor and Ford Bronco, and NASCAR, NHRA, and Supercars with the Mustang. This new alliance positions Ford at the peak of motorsport, where the company can further strengthen its efforts to expedite innovation, cutting-edge technology, and consumer software for future Ford electric vehicles.
A new age of success for Ford Performance has begun, as Farley put it. With Red Bull Racing, we will strive for victory in Formula One, the highest level of motorsport. The Mustang, the most widely distributed sports coupe, may be seen racing in various events, including the Australian SuperCars series, NASCAR, and Le Mans. We intend to maintain our status as industry frontrunners in off-road competitions such as the World Rally Championship, King of Hammers, Baja 1000, and many more. In the meantime, we'll keep surprising people with incredible prototypes like the Ford Pro Electric SuperVan and Ford Mustang Mach-E 1400.
