Ford Returning to Formula 1 Racing with Red Bull Powertrains

• Ford's re-entrance into the F1 world is historic, considering it will be the company's first factory involvement in the series since 2004.

• Red Bull Racing team previously expressed interest in building its own power units, as it is currently contracted to use the defunct Honda team engines until 2025.

• The announcement came as part of Red Bull’s reveal of its 2023 livery in New York.

Ford Performance confirmed its rumored Formula 1 partnership with Oracle Red Bull Racing for the 2026 season. The joint venture announce Friday will consist of an engine deal partially funded by Ford and set to meet the sport's 2026 season regulations.

The Red Bull Racing team previously expressed interest in building its own power units, as it is currently contracted to use Honda team engines until 2025. The deal with Ford comes after negotiations between Red Bull and Porsche failed late last year.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said today in New York, “From the first moment that we that we met and spoke again, with Bill Ford as well, it was very clear that there was a natural synergy between the two companies, and there was a very easy deal to put together because the desire was there from both sides."

F1 is sticking with turbo hybrid engines for 2023, though hybrid engine construction and sustainable synthetic fuels are permitted this season.

The announcement came as part of Red Bull’s reveal of its 2023 livery in New York. Team principal Horner, as well as drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez, were present for the reveal alongside Manhattan’s traffic-choked West Side Highway.

President and CEO of Ford, Jim Farley was in attendance, saying, "We looked at a lot of options as good business people. And we wanted to go in the direction that was authentic to us. So we decided to have a strategic partnership and a technical partnership with Red Bull powertrains to enter Formula 1 in 2026. We're really excited to work with this team on the technology side and also to learn from them. The best aerodynamicists in the world, are in Formula 1 at Red Bull."

Ford's re-entrance into the F1 world is historic, considering it will be the company's first factory involvement in the series since 2004. Coincidentally, the current Red Bull team can trace its distant roots to its single-dollar purchase of the Ford-backed, Jackie Stewart-run Jaguar Racing program in 2004, Ford’s last move in F1. This sale ended a 38-year streak of F1 involvement for Ford, dating back to 1966.

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali concurred, saying, "The news today that Ford is coming to Formula 1 in 2026 is great for the sport, and we are excited to see them join the incredible automotive partners already in Formula 1. They are a global brand with an incredible heritage in the racing and automotive world and they see the huge value that our platform provides with over half a billion fans around the world.”

The five-world championship winning team did confirm that it will remain based at the 5,000-square-foot, U.K. site in Milton Keynes, the same site where the Ford-backed Stewart team was originally based. Red Bull Powertrains currently employs approximately 500 people at this site.

Domenicali added that F1's environmental initiatives is a selling point to manufactures like Ford to come on board.

"Our commitment to be Net Zero Carbon by 2030 and to introduce sustainable fuels in the F1 cars from 2026 is also an important reason for their decision to enter F1," Domenicali said. "We believe that our sport provides the opportunity and reach unlike any other and we cannot wait for the Ford logo to be racing around F1’s iconic circuits from 2026.”