- Red Bull Powertrains and Ford tag team on next-gen hybrid power
- Ford provides expertise in battery cell and electric motor tech
- Deal runs from 2026 to ‘at least’ 2030
Dearborn has confirmed what’s been rumoured for some time now: they’re planning on making waves in Formula 1 once again. This time around, they’ll be partnering with Red Bull and its ancillary team, with newly created Red Bull Ford providing power units for both Oracle Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri from 2026 to at least 2030.
Why 2026? That’s the forward-looking year in which F1 plans to turn the sport on its ear. Set to use significantly less energy and produce net zero exhaust CO2 emissions, the current 1.6L V6 turbocharged internal combustion engine will evolve to include powerful electrical component which is said to almost triple the amount of electrical power produced by the hybrid components in use today.
The aim is for these electrical gubbins to produce around 350kW in 2026, up from the 120kW of energy currently deployed by the existing electric components. That will be nearly half the car’s total output, which is expected to remain above 1,000 horsepower. In 2013, 160kg of fuel was used in a race; in 2020, that stood at 100kg; and in 2026 F1 is aiming for each car to use just 70kg of fuel during a Grand Prix according to the regulatory body.
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Back at Ford, the company plans to provide technical expertise in areas where it can add value to the front-running World Championship team. Areas to be explored together naturally include the combustion engine but Ford seems particularly keen to lend a hand in making key developments on the battery cell, electric motor technology, and power unit control software. Suits in Dearborn know the company is headed full tilt into an increasingly electric future, one as much filled with software and code as it is pistons and camshafts.
F1 is a heckuva platform to learn some lessons for the road, especially if Ford can replicate even a percentage of their success. Even though they’ve been out of the game for decades, they still stand as the third most successful engine manufacturer in F1 history.
Keyword: Ford-mula One: Blue Oval to partner with Red Bull in 2026