Ford has officially announced that it will return to Formula 1 racing after more than 20 years of absence. The automaker will join the motorsport starting in 2026 as part of a long-term strategic partnership with Red Bull Racing.
“This is the start of a thrilling new chapter in Ford’s motorsports story that began when my great-grandfather won a race that helped launch our company,” said Bill Ford, executive chair. “Ford is returning to the pinnacle of the sport, bringing Ford’s long tradition of innovation, sustainability and electrification to one of the world’s most visible stages.”
As part of its long-term partnership with the current F1 champions, Ford says it will enter a technical partnership to develop a next-gen hybrid power unit from 2026 onward. Red Bull Ford, as it will be known, will provide powertrains for both the Red Bull Racing team and its sister team, Scuderia AlphaTauri, until at least 2030.
More: Ford To Announce F1 Return With Red Bull Racing From 2026
“Ford’s return to Formula 1 with Red Bull Racing is all about where we are going as a company– increasingly electric, software-defined, modern vehicles and experiences,” said Jim Farley, President and CEO, Ford Motor Company. “F1 will be an incredibly cost-effective platform to innovate, share ideas and technologies, and engage with tens of millions of new customers.”
Although Ford is a less familiar sight on the modern F1 grid, the manufacturer has a rich history in motorsport generally, and Formula One specifically. A fixture of the grid in the ’60s and ’70s, Ford reminded fans today that it remains the third most successful engine manufacturer in the sport’s history, with 10 Constructors’ championships, and 13 Drivers’ championships to its name.
“It’s fantastic to be welcoming Ford back into Formula 1 through this partnership,” said Christian Horner, Oracle Red Bull Racing Team Principal and CEO. “They are a manufacturer rich in motoring history that spans generations. From Jim Clark to Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher, the lineage speaks for itself. For us as Red Bull Powertrains to open the next chapter of that dynasty, as Red Bull Ford, is tremendously exciting.”
Ford noted the growth of F1 around the world and in America as one of the contributing factors to its decision to enter the sport. In addition, it noted the increasing commitment to electric power as one of the aspects that attracted it to the sport.
“We are entering an exciting new age for Ford Performance,” said Farley. “We will be competing to win in F1, the pinnacle for motor sport, with Red Bull Racing.”
