Ford Expands Role in Red Bull's 2026 Power Unit, Tackling the Combustion Engine

Ford's collaboration with Red Bull Powertrains for the 2026 season has deepened significantly, with the American manufacturer now actively involved in developing the internal combustion engine (ICE). This marks a strategic shift from Ford's initial plan to focus solely on the power unit's electrical components, driven by a change in the company's broader automotive strategy that renewed its commitment to combustion technology.

Why it matters:

• For Red Bull, a team building its own F1 engine for the first time, Ford's expanded involvement provides a massive boost in technical expertise and manufacturing resources.
• This elevates the partnership from a branding deal to a true technical collaboration, lending significant credibility to their ambitious 2026 project.
• A competitive and reliable power unit is paramount for Red Bull to maintain its front-running status against established engine manufacturers like Mercedes, Ferrari, and the incoming Audi works team.

The details:

• Initial Scope: Ford originally signed on to contribute primarily to the electrical side of the 2026 power unit, including the battery, software, and related electronics.
• Strategic Pivot: According to Ford Performance director Mark Rushbrook, the company's own product strategy for road cars shifted to include continued development of internal combustion engines alongside hybrids and EVs. This made deeper involvement in the F1 ICE a logical step.
• Active Contribution: Ford is now "manufacturing components on a daily basis" for the Red Bull ICE. Rushbrook emphasized this wasn't because Red Bull was struggling, but a natural result of the engineering teams working together. "As you have the technical minds together... they overhear or get asked questions. What would Ford do in this situation? And that's where we were able to say, we can actually help."

What's next:

• The first on-track test for the new 2026 power units is scheduled for later this month at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
• This closed-door session will provide the first real-world performance data and a crucial benchmark of the Red Bull-Ford unit against its rivals from Mercedes, Ferrari, and Renault.
• The results will offer the first tangible indication of whether this deepened collaboration can translate into a competitive advantage on the grid.