Formula 1’s booming popularity in the United States has lured another American brand to the series as Ford said Friday it would return to the globe-trotting series as the engine provider for Red Bull Racing.
The partnership begins with immediate technical support this season, but Ford engines in 2026 when F1 adopts new hybrid regulations that lured Ford back after a 24-year absence.
Red Bull powertrains and Ford will partner on the development of a hybrid power unit that will supply engines to both Red Bull and AlphaTauri when new F1 regulations begin in 2026. The partnership — which is for at least eight years — was announced in New York as Red Bull unveiled the car design it will use in 2023. Red Bull won the constructors title last season, and Max Verstappen is the two-time defending world champion.
The F1 2026 rule changes call for the current twin-turbo V6 engines to run on sustainable fuel and be fitted with hybrid components.
“Red Bull is committed to winning and they’ve demonstrated that they are capable of winning,” Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance, told The Associated Press. “We want to be in motorsports for the technology and for the marketing, but we want to do it winning and with the right partner. They’re committed to that, they have a winning culture.”