Red Bull set to confirm Ford partnership at 2023 car launch

Ewan Gale
Thursday 2 February 2023 20:59 - Updated: 15:22

Red Bull is set to announce Ford as its new engine partner for F1.

The US manufacturer will join the constructors' champions in parallel with the new-for-2026 power unit regulations, part-funding the Red Bull Powertrains unit that will be used by the team and AlphaTauri.

Red Bull, who currently use RBPT badged Honda engines after extending its existing deal with the Japanese manufacturer at the end of last year, will launch its 2023 challenger, the RB19, in New York on Friday [February 3].

The prospect of Ford and Red Bull partnering up was reported last month but ahead of the launch of the new car, Italian media apparently leaked the agreement, with both parties declining to comment.

The partnership comes a month after Ford's main US rival, General Motors, announced a deal to join Andretti's bid to enter F1 with Cadillac.

Ford's rich F1 history

The company has not been involved in F1 since selling the Jaguar team to Red Bull ahead of the 2005 season.

It will be Ford's first factory involvement in F1 since 2004, after which they pulled out following the sale of their Jaguar team to Red Bull.

The Ford Cosworth DFV engine is perhaps the most dominant of all in F1 history, being used by numerous teams and earning scores of victories when in operation from 1967 to 1985, with the final victory coming in 1983 with Michele Alboreto in a Tyrrell.

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