Ford are partnering Red Bull from 2026 onwards as a technical partner, with the American manufacturer to supply the Milton Keynes-based side with technical assistance when the new power unit regulations are introduced.

In their push to become even more independent, Red Bull are producing their own engines for the new 2026 regulations and will power themselves and their sister team.

It’s an incredibly challenging project that the reigning Constructors Champions’ have embarked on, with Max Verstappen believing that the team with the “strongest engine” in 2026 will likely dominate.

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“It looks like it’s going to be an ICE competition, like whoever has the strongest engine will have a big benefit,” Verstappen explained, as reported by The Express.

This immediately puts Red Bull at a disadvantage, considering they’re up against the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari who have vast experience in developing F1 engines.

Red Bull are having to work around the clock as a result to ensure that they can be competitive when the new regulations are introduced.

According to Farley, things are actually going very well, with him being “really happy with the progress”.

“I had a chance to spend a lot of time with the team in Milton Keynes and with Adrian Newey, and I think we’re on track,” Farley said.

“2026, even though it sounds like a long way away, we have a lot of work to do on the powertrain, but I’m really happy with the progress. I wish I could tell you more, but I would say we’re on track.”

Farley is certainly upbeat about Red Bull’s 2026 chances and has no doubt that the side will continue to feature at “the very top of the podium” when the new rules are introduced.

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This is because their power unit is looking “top-notch” in Farley’s eyes.

“We have got the best frickin’ team that’s involved. I mean, we’ve got the best drivers, we’ve got the best technical support,” Farley added.

“We have the best of Ford around the globe to support them. But the team, the powertrain team that they’re building in Milton Keynes, is like absolutely, top-notch. We’re going first class to the very top of the podium.”

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Since joining Formula 1 in 2005, Red Bull have had several power unit suppliers, most recently Honda and Renault.

2026, though, will see Red Bull explore a new path, by designing their very own.

To ensure they are as best prepared as possible, the Austrians have opened their own powertrain department at Milton Keynes, meaning that they have every department on the same campus.

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Ferrari are the only other team who can boast this feat, with the benefit of having a chassis and power unit department on the same campus being that they can work closer together.

Red Bull will be getting some help from Ford, though, after the team announced that the American manufacturer would be joining as a technical partner.

Red Bull Ford will supply engines to both the factory team and sister side AlphaTauri, with their relationship with Honda to end in 2025.

It’s certainly a big change for Red Bull given how reliant they’ve been on their previous engine partners; however, Marko is confident that everything will work smoothly based on “current feedback”.

“We are aware of that, but that is why we rely on many experienced people and assume that this will be fine,” Marko told Formel 1.

“The current feedback on the internal combustion engine makes us feel good and I don’t expect us to be at a disadvantage. The reliability will also be good.

“In addition, with Ford we have a partner who, when it comes to the electric part of the engine, is very large and if they do not have something in-house, they do look together with young companies or startups. In terms of batteries, we can certainly use some know-how: this is a very important addition for us and with this we think we will be competitive.”

Marko also discussed Ford’s current presence back in Milton Keynes, with the American manufacturer already getting to work.

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“They are on campus with us and there are already six test benches that have been running since last year,” Marko revealed.

“More than one engine is already ready and the improvement is clearly visible. That’s how you should develop an engine,” says the Red Bull advisor, who hopes that other components such as the ERS [Energy Recovery System] will also be ready for use in the short term.

“We are exactly on schedule and the recruitment of staff is going well. We are not yet at our optimal staff level, but that does not make much difference. Of course, a new competitor has also emerged [Audi], which has only made us hungrier to win.”

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Audi will complete their takeover of Sauber and produce their own power units while Red Bull will part ways with Honda to become powered by Red Bull Powertrains.

The new engine manufacturer have partnered with Ford to form Red Bull Ford and will be looking for potential customer teams to supply their engines too.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has now revealed that he has held talks with McLaren CEO Zak Brown about supplying McLaren’s engines from 2026 onwards.

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“I thought he [Brown] was coming for lunch,” joked Horner when discussing Red Bull Powertrains’ negotiations with the McLaren boss.

“It’s obvious that, as a power unit manufacturer for 2026, it’s inevitable that discussions are going to be held regarding potential powertrain supply.

“That’s only natural that we would speak with potential customers.”

McLaren are currently powered by Mercedes but are reportedly exploring their options ahead of the engine regulation changes in 2026.

The team have been linked with a sensational return to Honda, who will want to remain in the sport after parting ways with Red Bull.

Honda powered McLaren before they switched to Mercedes engines, with Fernando Alonso famously calling the Honda engine a “GP2 engine,” such was its competitiveness.

It has also been rumoured that McLaren could become powered by Cadillac, should Andretti-Cadillac be allowed to join the grid in 2026 as an 11^th team.

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McLaren will be hoping to find a power unit supplier that can help them return to championship winning contention, something which the team hope to do within the next five years.

A new state-of-the-art wind tunnel facility is set to become operational for McLaren later this year, giving the team the technology required to build a championship winning car in the future.

Lando Norris will be hoping that McLaren make all of the right choices moving forward, as the Brit looks to capitalise on his title winning potential without having to move away from the team which gave him his F1 debut.

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Audi will complete their takeover of Sauber that year and car giants Ford will return to the sport after nearly two decades away.

Ford will partner with Red Bull Powertrains to become Red Bull Ford, helping to power the team and optimise the capabilities of their power unit.

Ford are heavily involved in NASCAR and some American fans have expressed their concerns about their return to F1, suggesting that they could now neglect their other teams.

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Global director of Ford Performance Motorsports Mark Rushbrook has insisted that this is not the case, claiming that the F1 project is an addition to their plans rather than a replacement.

“The way that we’re approaching it is Formula One, for us, is an overlay to our existing programs,” he said.

“It is not substitutional or displacing any of our current plans.”

Another US car giant could also be joining the grid in 2026 in General Motors, who are hoping to enter F1 with Andretti-Cadillac, using Cadillac as the flagship brand for the F1 venture.

Jim Campbell, the vice president of performance and motorsports for Chevrolet has suggested that General Motors’ involvement in F1 could actually benefit their NASCAR teams.

“I would say for us, we are early in the process,” he said. “Just this past week we submitted our expression of interest to the FIA, so there are a number of steps before we would be considered to be in the series. 

“So we still have a ways to go on our side, but this would be really complimentary and we use performance and racing as a place to really learn on the track and develop employees.

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“Obviously, you get the benefits on the business side as well because when you win races you lift the opinion of the brand.

“So I would say we are early in the process, but this would be complimentary. We believe in the platform as a way to bring value to the company but also to promote our brands and drivers.”

Andretti-Cadillac’s entry into F1 is far from confirmed, with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali still strongly against expanding the grid, despite the FIA’s will to involve the US giants.

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In this year, Audi will complete their takeover of Sauber, taking advantage of the chance to start from square one at the same time as all of the other teams.

Red Bull will also be ending their partnership with Honda prior to the 2026 season, with the energy drink giants officially set to be powered by Red Bull Powertrains.

The team have also recently announced that Red Bull Powertrains will be partnering with Ford, as the car manufacturing giants return to F1 after nearly two decades away.

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There had been talks with Honda and Porsche over plans for 2026 and beyond but the team eventually chose to go with Ford, something with Red Bull chief advisor Helmut Marko claims has taken the team full circle.

“It’s a good deal with Ford. I was in Detroit for it, the talks went well and harmoniously from the start. We wrapped things up pretty quickly,” he explained.

“From 2026 the engine will be called Red Bull Ford. For me, this closes a circle.

“It was out start in Formula 1 with our own team. Unlike this time, we didn’t negotiate in the USA. It was in England.

“But it was the beginning of our success story. That’s why you can really say we’ve come full circle.”

Red Bull first got involved in Formula 1 when they partnered with Sauber and Ford in the 90’s, meaning they starting their F1 journey with Ford.

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When Red Bull Racing then joined the grid in the mid 2000’s, they purchased Jaguar from the Ford Motor Company, making Ford a crucial part of every step of Red Bull’s F1 journey.

There were initially concerns from the likes of Ferrari that Red Bull Ford would be receiving the benefits of being a new entrant in 2026, despite having years’ worth of knowledge about Formula 1.

Since then, assurances have reportedly been given to the rest of the grid surrounding Ford’s involvement in Red Bull, outlining that they are just a partner, making the influence of their knowledge limited.

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Audi will use this opportunity to enter the sport and complete their takeover of Sauber, making use of the chance to join the grid in a year of major change.

As a new entrant, Audi will be entitled to a number of benefits when they join the grid, including more hours for testing.

These benefits will be available to help the new entrants get up to speed with the rest of the grid, due to the fact that the existing engine providers have years of experience in the sport to base their 2026 project on.

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Red Bull will end their partnership with Honda in 2026 to become powered by Red Bull Powertrains, who will technically be a new entrant to the sport.

Initially it seemed as if Red Bull Powertrains would be entitled to the benefits of being a new entrant, claiming that they have no say in the Honda engine, which is designed and manufactured in Japan without Red Bull’s input.

The energy drink giants have now partnered with Ford however, who have a vast experience in F1 developing engines, dating all the way back to their days working with Cosworth engines and Jaguar.

Many F1 teams have been alarmed by the benefits that Red Bull Powertrains could be set to receive, despite the vast knowledge and experience of Ford.

Ferrari president John Elkann and CEO Benedetto Vigna have now reportedly intervened to “assert the political weight of the Prancing Horse”, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

It has been reported that Ferrari’s appeal was taken into account by the FIA and they have taken action to prevent Ford from gaining any benefits.

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The car manufacturing giants will now only been seen as a business partner of Red Bull and therefore they will not be entitled to this extra testing time.

It was rumoured that Ferrari initially refused to sign up to the 2026 engine regulations, but after clarifying the Red Bull Ford situation with the FIA, they have now signed up.

It is believed that their agreement with the FIA may include some benefits for Ferrari, but the details of this agreement is yet to be revealed.

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The energy drink giants decision to put their faith in Honda to change their fortunes, a decision which has paid dividends over and over again.

In a Honda powered car, Max Verstappen has won the past two drivers’ championships, helping to bring the constructors’ championship back to Milton Keynes in 2022 along the way.

The team will be parting ways with Honda ahead of the new engine regulations that come into effect in 2026 however, as Red Bull will officially become powered by Red Bull Powertrains.

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At the team’s season launch last week in New York it was announced that Red Bull Powertrains would be partnering with Ford in 2026, with the car manufacturer returning to F1 to help the team produce the most competitive power unit possible.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has now revealed that his team did explore the possibility of continuing with Honda after 2026, but the deal became too complicated to complete.

“We have a great relationship with Honda and we’ve enjoyed so much success with them and that relationship runs to the end of 2025,” said Horner.

“Both the team and Honda will be doing everything possible to add to the success that we’ve already achieved to the conclusion of those agreements.

“We explored the relationship beyond 2025. But it just logistically became too complicated.”

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It was initially rumoured that Red Bull were going to partner with Porsche for 2026 before Ford entered the frame, however the deal broke down midway through last year.

Red Bull were concerned that a partnership with Porsche would see them lose their independence, such was the level of involvement that the car manufacturers wanted.

Ford’s involvement with the team will solely be around Red Bull Powertrains, leaving Red Bull Racing as the Formula 1 giant fans have come to know.

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It was announced last Friday at the launch of Red Bull’s 2023 car that they’d be entering a technical engine partnership with Ford from 2026, the first season of the new power unit regulations.

Ford are set to support Red Bull Powertrains from 2026, with the Austrians set to power themselves when the new regs are introduced.

Interestingly, Ford’s return to the sport will come 22 years after they sold the Jaguar F1 Team to Red Bull, who joined the grid in 2005.

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The new partnership will also see Ford supply AlphaTauri with engines from 2026, as part of their deal with the Austrians and their power unit department.

It’s not just Ford who are huge fans of the 2026 engine regulations, with several manufacturers having shown an interest in joining the grid.

Audi have already been confirmed for 2026, with General Motors also looking likely to join the grid, through their partnership with Andretti Autosport.

2026 will see the sport move in the direction of sustainable energy, with an increased MGU-K set to produce more electrical power, whilst the MGU-H will be dropped.

The sport will also continue to use more sustainable fuels, with E10 fuels having recently been introduced.

Given the heap of changes, Rushbrook was asked at Red Bull’s launch last Friday in New York City if Ford would be returning to the sport had the engine regulations remained the same as they are now, with the global director admitting that it would’ve been off the cards due to being a “step backwards”.

“No, I don’t think we would,” Rushbrook told media, including RacingNews365.com.

“If it was a carry over power unit without this opportunity, it would have been a step backwards for us.

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“100% we needed to have [the technical link-up with Red Bull].

“We don’t just go racing as a marketing exercise and, especially in Formula 1, being the stage that it is, the opportunity to get that technical learning was important for us.

“Without it, we wouldn’t have done it.”

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Following much speculation, it was announced at Red Bull’s launch of their 2023 car last Friday that they would be entering a technical partnership with American manufacturer Ford from 2026.

Many saw this as a punch in the face to Honda, given that the manufacturer are still Red Bull’s partner until the end of 2025.

Whilst Red Bull run under the ‘Red Bull Powertrains’ department, their engines are effectively based on Honda’s, in what is a confusing relationship.

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Despite having left the sport at the end of 2021, Honda continued to work with Red Bull during 2022, before officially announcing a return to the sport at their home Grand Prix in Japan.

As well as that, Honda announced that they’d be entering the 2026 championship as an engine supplier, despite the fact that Red Bull are going to supply their own.

With this in mind, Honda will need to find a new team to partner with from 2026 onwards, in order to remain in the sport.

“Red Bull stole people from Mercedes to make that Honda engine better,” Albers told De Telegraaf.

“Red Bull may be building an engine for the first time, but Honda are still involved. It’s putting a sticker on it.”

Given how successful Red Bull’s and Honda’s partnership has been over recent years, many can’t get their heads around why the duo are separating.

Albers believes Red Bull became “tired” of negotiating with Honda, with the Japanese manufacturer, as mentioned, having left the sport momentarily before suddenly returning.

“I think they just got tired of those negotiations. Honda was so indecisive,” Albers said.

“Honda decided to pull the plug and yet now they’re back again. I think Red Bull was just sick of that.”

2023 is going to be a challenging year for Red Bull given that they’ve still got virtually nine months of their wind tunnel ban to serve, following their breach of the 2021 budget cap.

Red Bull were awarded a 10-percent reduction in wind tunnel time for 12 months, which is expected to cause some issues for the Austrians; however, Albers believes they’ll be just fine.

Red Bull is a rich team,” Albers added.

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“They have enough budget.

“Yes there is a budget cap, but there are still quite a few exceptions. There is still quite a lot that can be done.

“Like Mercedes, they can reshuffle things a bit with the engine department now. They can mess around quite a bit.”

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Audi will complete their takeover of Sauber ahead of this season, entering the sport in the year when every team will also be starting from square one.

Red Bull will also make a major change in 2026, moving away from their partnership with Honda to become powered by Red Bull Powertrains.

This new entrant will be looking to keep Red Bull at the top of the timing charts, with Ford returning to the sport to help Red Bull Powertrains get ahead of the competition.

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Having not been seen in Formula 1 since their days powering Jaguar in the Cosworth engine era, Ford’s return to F1 has been met with a lot of optimism, with the return of such a car manufacturing giant being nothing but positive for the sport.

Sky Sports pundit Martin Brundle has been speaking about Ford’s F1 return, suggesting that it is an interesting decision to join forces with Red Bull.

“If you look at the Ford thing, it’s a halfway house really – it’s an interesting one,” he said.

“Red Bull had Infiniti on for a while, then it had Aston Martin on the side of it for a while before Aston got their own team, so this is a branding thing.

“What I find most interesting here is all of the world’s car manufacturers are totally focused on electric cars, EVs, coming up.

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“And yet if you look at the Ford announcement today, they love the idea of the technology, sustainability, sustainable fuels and the opportunity and then, basically, eyeballs – the number of people who are watching Formula 1 now who are not watching other Formula with just battery power, for example.

“So it’s interesting that they’re even wanting to be involved in Formula 1, but it’s just the might that it has at the moment. So they’re coming in different ways.”

Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has expressed his delight at Ford’s return to F1, suggesting that having such a powerhouse of the motoring world involved in the sport will be beneficial for all parties.

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