Red Bull Ford F1 partnership confirmed

Ewan Gale
Friday 3 February 2023 14:50 - Updated: 15:06

Red Bull's partnership with Ford as its new engine partner for F1 has been confirmed.

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, which currently uses RBPT-badged Honda engines after extending its existing deal with the Japanese manufacturer at the end of last year, launched its 2023 challenger, the RB19, in New York on Friday [February 3].

The launch came shortly after Ford announced it would be returning to the F1 grid.

The prospect of Ford and Red Bull partnering up was reported last month but on Thursday, ahead of the launch of the new car, Italian media apparently leaked the agreement.

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.

Red Bull ready for "big moment"

"This is tremendously exciting, it is a big moment for us, for our team and Red Bull Powertrains as we start on this journey for 2026 and welcome the Ford brand back into F1 to become a Red Bull-Ford power unit, it is incredibly exciting," said team principal Christian Horner during the team's 2023 car launch in New York.

"For us, having the ability to draw the EV experience and the depth of resource is incredibly exciting.

"It is very clear there is a natural synergy between the two companies, it was an easy deal to put together because the desire was there from both sides.

"A big moment for us."