Red Bull Racing, Ford Announce Formula 1 Engine Partnership Starting from 2026 Season

Formula One announced Friday that Ford will return to the sport in a partnership with Red Bull Racing, beginning in 2026.

According to ESPN's Laurence Edmondson, it will mark Ford's first involvement in F1 since selling its Jaguar team to Red Bull in 2004.

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali released a statement on Ford's impending return, saying:

"The news today that Ford is coming to Formula One from 2026 is great for the sport and we are excited to see them join the incredible automotive partners already in Formula One. 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.

"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. We believe that our sport provides the opportunity and reach unlike any other and we cannot wait for the Ford logo to be racing round F1's iconic circuits from 2026."

Per Edmondson, the partnership between Red Bull and Ford will largely be focused on the team's power unit since Honda decided to leave Formula 1 in 2020.

Red Bull Racing will continue to use Honda engines through the 2025 season after the Japanese manufacturer decided to continue the relationship with the team. Beginning in 2026 however, it will make the switch to Ford.

Ford and Red Bull Powertrains will work together at the team factory to meet the new engine regulations F1 is implementing in 2026. Ford stated in a press release that they "will provide expertise in areas including battery cell and electric motor technology as well as power unit control software and analytics" and "combustion engine development."

Red Bull has established itself as the dominant team in F1 over the past two seasons, as driver Max Verstappen has won each of the past two World Driver's Championships. It also won its first Constructors Championship since 2013 in 2022.

A Mercedes driver had won seven straight championships before Verstappen's back-to-back titles, but Red Bull is back atop the sport and it has an exciting new partnership lined up with one of the biggest car manufacturers in the world.