Things will change for Red Bull in 2026 when they welcome Ford as an official partner helping them produce their power units.
It is a big deal for Red Bull as it will be the first time they have entered Formula 1 as a works outfit, having historically been a privateer customer.
Ford will provide the electrification aspect of the power unit while Red Bull will produce the internal combustion element to the power unit in-house, having recently opened up a factory at their Milton Keynes headquarters.
Both Red Bull and Racing Bulls will be using the engines, which should provide those who are developing the engine with crucial data as at least four cars will be running on track.
The huge changes in the F1 rules for 2026 are expected to shake up the order, although Red Bull could still emerge on top given they have historically been one of the best chassis makers. Their ties to Ford are also encouraging, now they are dropping Honda who admitted they were ‘struggling’ recently.
It all seems rather hopeful for Red Bull, however, one former F1 team boss has warned the team not to make one mistake in 2026 when speaking to PlanetF1.com.
Otmar Szafneur has warned Red Bull not to make this mistake in partnership with Ford
Otmar Szafneur used to be team principal of Alpine before parent company Renault ousted him midway through the 2023 season. He has extensive experience working in F1, having first been part of BAR Honda’s efforts in the early 00s and later with Force India and Aston Martin.
Szafneuer believes the resources available at Ford and Red Bull will make it a successful partnership, but has warned of one thing that might cause ‘trouble’ in the future.
“Now, the one thing that I learned when I left Ford to go to British American Racing [in 1998], is I quickly learned the things that worked at Ford that would also work in Formula One I needed to apply,” said Szafnaeur.
“But there are other things that would work well at Ford that wouldn’t work well in F1, just the opposite, it would slow them down. Those things – you don’t apply and you have to have the experience of both sides to say ‘Yes, that would be helpful’, and, ‘No, that won’t’.
“If you mix those two, you can get yourself in trouble. If you don’t mix them, then great.”
How the F1 paddock views Red Bull’s upcoming partnership with Ford
Red Bull’s switch to becoming a full manufacturer is seen as the next chapter in the team’s storied history, now they have won eight Constructors’ titles as a customer.
Some are sceptical that Red Bull’s technical tie-up with Ford will be significant beyond the marketing, especially given how teams like Haas have partnered with Toyota.
Ford’s CEO has responded to rumours that their engine project is ‘lagging behind’, claiming that they are meeting their 2026 targets. Given the secrecy of how F1 teams operate, it is difficult to know how significant those claims are before the power unit has been unleashed on track.
The American car brand is one of the biggest car makers in the world but their last attempt at competing in F1 was ill-fated, when they entered alongside Jaguar who used Cosworth engines.
The Jaguar team is what Red Bull purchased at the end of 2004, so in reality, it has all come full circle for the two manufacturers. Whether they will reap the rewards on track is the question everyone will know in 2026.
