Ford has announced a new partnership with Red Bull Powertrains. Under this long term technical partnership, both companies will develop the next-gen power unit to be used from the 2026 season onwards.
As per the agreement, Red Bull Ford will supply engines to both Oracle Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri teams from 2026 for a minimum of four years.
Starting 2023, the American carmaker will work with Red Bull Powertrains to develop the new powertrain. As per the regulations, it will have a 350 kW electric motor, and an engine that will run on sustainable fuels. This powertrain will be used in both the Red Bull teams from 2026.
In this new tenure, Ford’s main task will be to help with technical expertise. Both Ford and Red Bull will work towards combustion engine development and other important areas like the battery cell and electric motor technology, power unit control software and analytics.
From the beginning of 1966 all the way upto 2004, Ford was the sponsor for the Cosworth engine supplier. Further, the company also raced a team in Formula 1 under the Jaguar name. The team competed from 2000 to 2004. Jaguar was a subsidiary of Ford back then. Sadly, in 2004, Ford ended its participation in Formula 1 after 38 years.
The year 2026 will be special for Ford. The American carmaker will be the sole company that has its presence in all motorsports – right from the grassroots level to Formula 1. It will also be a part of 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.
Further, Ford is also investing US$ 50 billion for the development of electric vehicles around the globe. Currently, the company is the second largest EV maker in the US thanks to the F-150 Lightning and the Mustang Mach-E. In terms of commercial vehicles, Ford’s E-Transit has been a leader across the world as well. By the end of 2023, Ford plans to ramp up global electric production to 6,00,000 units. This number will increase to 20,00,000 by the end of 2026.
Also Read – OFFICIAL! Audi entering Formula 1 from 2026.