Why is Red Bull F1 switching to Ford?

Red Bull Racing is switching its Formula 1 power units to Ford for the 2026 season and beyond. The move is framed as a bid for long-term engine stability, greater engineering influence, and a broader partnership that leverages Ford’s manufacturing scale and technical prowess. In simple terms: Red Bull wants more control over its powertrain and a secure, high-performance future with a powerhouse partner.

To understand why this decision was made, it helps to unpack the deal, the strategic logic behind it, and the implications for Red Bull, Ford, and the broader Formula 1 landscape. What follows outlines the core components, the motivations, the timeline, and the potential impact of this landmark partnership.

The deal in detail

Before listing the key elements, it’s useful to frame the agreement around governance, development, and production responsibilities that will shape how the power units come to life in 2026.

• Formation of Red Bull Ford Powertrains, a joint venture to design, develop, and manufacture the next generation of F1 power units for the 2026 season and beyond.


• Ford Performance contributes engine design, simulation, component development, and manufacturing capabilities, with a focus on integrating the hybrid energy system within the F1 rules.


• Red Bull Powertrains oversees program management, race integration, and close collaboration with the chassis, aerodynamics, and race operations teams.


• The initial customer base includes Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri (the team formerly known as Toro Rosso) under a multi-year supply arrangement.


• Engineering and production activities are centered in the United Kingdom, leveraging Ford’s and Red Bull’s engineering ecosystems and supply chains.

Conclusion: The list highlights how the partnership blends Ford’s technical depth with Red Bull’s racing execution, creating a bespoke power unit program rather than a traditional supplier-customer arrangement.

Why this move now

The decision follows a recent history in which Red Bull sought greater autonomy after Honda’s exit as a full works engine supplier and the ongoing challenge of securing a long-term, stable power unit supply under evolving F1 regulations. With the 2026 power unit rules set to evolve, the Red Bull-Ford alliance aims to position both brands to optimize performance and cost over a multi-year horizon.

• Strategic independence: Owning more of the powertrain roadmap reduces vulnerability to the changing priorities of a single supplier and aligns power unit development with Red Bull’s own racing calendar and budget planning.


• Technical collaboration: Ford’s engineering resources, global manufacturing footprint, and experience in high-performance propulsion are viewed as accelerators for innovation and reliability on track.


• Commercial and branding alignment: Ford’s global presence and Red Bull’s media and sponsorship footprint create a synergistic platform that can amplify both brands’ reach in and beyond motorsport.

Conclusion: The move reflects a calculated effort to secure stability, performance potential, and strategic alignment with Red Bull’s broader business and sporting ambitions, rather than simply changing liability for power units.

Timeline and what to watch

The switch is slated for the 2026 season, with ongoing collaboration and a phased ramp-up in the 2024-2025 period as the teams finalize the architecture, governance, and production arrangements. Observers will be watching how the joint venture structures governance, funding, and IP around the power unit development.

1. 2026: Ford-powered power units debut with Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri under the Red Bull Ford Powertrains banner.


2. 2026-2030: Long-term supply agreement complemented by iterative development aligned with Formula 1’s regulation cycles.


3. Beyond 2030: Potential evolution of the platform as rules evolve and new technologies are integrated into the power unit architecture.

Conclusion: The timeline underscores a deliberate transition from Honda-backed power units to a bespoke Ford-powered platform, with a multi-year horizon designed to deliver continuity and performance.

Wider implications for the grid

The Ford-Red Bull deal is part of a broader shift in Formula 1 toward more manufacturer involvement and diversified powertrain partnerships. The arrangement could influence supplier strategies, competitive balance, and the pace of technology transfer across teams and regions.

• Industry dynamics: Other manufacturers may reconsider their own long-term powertrain strategies in light of Ford-Red Bull’s model for shared development and risk.


• Regulatory and technical pace: The collaboration will need to align closely with Formula 1’s evolving rules on hybrids, energy recovery, and sustainability goals.


• Brand and talent impact: Ford’s return to F1, paired with Red Bull’s global platform, has implications for recruitment, sponsorship, and cross-pollination between motorsport and consumer markets.

Conclusion: The partnership could set a precedent for how top teams and manufacturers collaborate on the next generation of F1 power units, potentially reshaping the economics and technology roadmap of the sport.

Summary

Red Bull Racing’s decision to switch to Ford for 2026 represents a strategic bid for long-term engine stability, greater control over powertrain development, and a collaboration that leverages Ford’s engineering and manufacturing strengths. By creating a dedicated joint venture—Red Bull Ford Powertrains—both brands aim to secure a scalable, high-performance platform that aligns with Red Bull’s racing objectives and Ford’s ambitions in global motorsport. The move signals a new era for Red Bull’s engineering program and Ford’s renewed commitment to Formula 1, with a multi-year horizon that could reshape the competitive and commercial landscape of the sport.

Why is Toyota no longer in F1?

In light of the parent company's first ever financial loss in 2009, Toyota decided to withdraw from Formula One with immediate effect on 4 November 2009. Toyota's 2010 car the TF110 was almost fully developed. There were two prepared prototype chassis of the TF110.

Why is Honda leaving Red Bull F1?

Honda is "leaving" Red Bull primarily because Red Bull decided to develop its own engines and partnered with Ford for the new 2026 regulations, ending the existing partnership after the 2025 season. Honda's original withdrawal from F1 was to focus on developing carbon-neutral technology, and when they later decided to re-enter F1, they partnered with Aston Martin to align with the new 2026 regulations.
 
You can watch this video to learn more about Honda's withdrawal from Formula 1: 50sTHE RACEYouTube · Oct 2, 2020

• Red Bull's strategic shift: Red Bull Racing decided to build its own in-house engine division (Red Bull Powertrains) for the 2026 regulations and has partnered with Ford to achieve that goal. 
• Honda's original withdrawal: Honda initially withdrew from Formula 1 at the end of the 2021 season to redirect its resources to the development of carbon-neutral technologies, as explained in this YouTube video and this Wikipedia article. 
• Honda's return to F1: When Honda decided to re-enter F1, it chose to form a new works partnership with Aston Martin for the 2026 season, drawn by the new regulations that align with its focus on electrification. 
• Mutual decision: While Honda's return to F1 with Aston Martin was a strategic choice, the partnership with Red Bull ended as a mutual decision. Red Bull had already committed to its own engine program, and Honda had secured a new partner for the 2026 regulations, according to The Race. 

This video discusses the implications of Honda leaving F1 for Red Bull: 58sWTF1YouTube · Oct 2, 2020

Is Ford building engines for Red Bull?

Instead Red Bull Powertrains will take full responsibility for engine supply and operations from 2026, when the company will be renamed to Red Bull Ford Powertrains, following a partnership with Ford Motor Company.

Why is Ford coming back to F1?

“Ford's return to Formula 1 with Red Bull Racing is all about where we are going as a company– increasingly electric, software-defined, modern vehicles and experiences,” said Jim Farley, President and CEO, Ford Motor Company.