Ford deepens Red Bull F1 partnership for 2026

Ford has confirmed its Formula 1 comeback will involve full-scale cooperation with Red Bull’s new in-house power unit project from 2026 onward.

“We didn’t really want to work on the combustion engine at first,” Ford performance chief Mark Rushbrook told Auto Motor und Sport.

“We’re doing it now because we still have a lot to learn in this area. “We were initially helping with parts production, but now we’re working on almost the entire car and the operational side.”

Rushbrook explained that the manufacturer’s return was driven by a mix of regulatory change, sustainability targets, and the sport’s global popularity.

“We also wanted to learn more about electrification - battery chemistry, powertrains, inverters, calibration, control, and how all of this interacts with the combustion engine,” he added.

Ford boasts a rich F1 heritage via Cosworth, which collected 176 victories, 10 constructors’ titles and 13 drivers’ championships. But its last effort ended poorly, when it purchased Stewart Grand Prix in 1999, turned it into Jaguar, and ultimately sold the outfit to Red Bull in 2005.

“The last time we worked with a team was with Jaguar, and we learned that we weren’t very good at it,” Rushbrook admitted. “We don’t have a full program with a manufacturer today, anywhere.”

This time, Ford says the partnership with Red Bull is well-timed: “They had just decided to develop their own program for 2026. The project was still in its early stages, but even then they were aware resources were limited, even for a major F1 team, especially since Milton Keynes had never developed its own engine before,” he said.

Since 2019 Red Bull has run Honda units in a near-exclusive partnership, in contrast with customer teams such as Haas or Williams that adapt around Ferrari or Mercedes supply. Cadillac, meanwhile, enters in 2026 with Ferrari power before General Motors’ own engines arrive in 2028.

“Cadillac will enter Formula 1 in 2026, with Ferrari engines, but we look forward to any competition,” Rushbrook said. “Whether it’s Ferrari cars with Ferrari engines, Cadillac cars with Ferrari engines, or anyone else.”