Red Bull chief reveals 'intense' Ford partnership ahead of 2026 linkup

Red Bull F1 team principal Laurent Mekies has discussed how Red Bull and Ford's partnership is changing as the 2026 season approaches.

The Milton Keynes-based outfit are entering a new era in 2026, teaming up with American car giants Ford to make their own power units, ending their deal with Honda.

On top of that, the team have a new team principal in Mekies, who replaced Christian Horner back in July after 20 years of the Brit running the team.

Now, Mekies and Ford CEO Jim Farley are attempting to strengthen their relationship with the 2026 season fast approaching, and the pair were seen together at the Italian Grand Prix, conducting interviews together.

And it was during an interview with Sky Sports F1's Craig Slater that Mekies revealed some intricacies of Red Bull's partnership with Ford.

"Every single day that passes, we are working more and more together," Mekies said. "The brainstorming becomes more intense.

"We find new areas in which we can develop together, in which we can push each other. It's exactly what we need, even the size of the challenge, and I'm sure as Jim [Farley] said it's not only what it's separating us from now to the first day of testing.

"After that, we continue to grow together to push each other, and you know and I'm sure the collaboration will become stronger and stronger."

Can Red Bull bounce back?

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen has finally confirmed that he will be at Red Bull for the 2026 season, and now attention switches to trying to give him a car that is capable of challenging for the championship.

With new regulations sweeping into the sport in 2026 and the new Ford partnership, Red Bull will be hopeful that they can return to the top of F1, having been sat down in fourth in the constructors' championship for much of this season.

Their underperformance led to the replacement of Horner, and now Mekies is looking to return the team to winning ways.

The next job for the Frenchman will be deciding who to put in the second seat alongside Verstappen, with Yuki Tsunoda's contract up at the end of the year, and his poor form making it unlikely that they will seek to extend that deal.

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