Ford to re-venture into Formula One with Red Bull Racing: Report

Ford and Red Bull have collaborated successfully outside of Formula One through partnerships in rally racing.

Max Verstappen's Red Bull during the 2022 Miami GP. (Image: Twitter/Oracle Red Bull Racing)
By Nilavro Ghosh | Dec 15, 2022 | 2 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

Since Porsche’s planned partnership with Red Bull to enter Formula 1 has been ruled out, it is believed that a number of other automakers are considering joining forces with the current champions in 2026. According to Motorsport.com, Ford has reportedly entered the conversation in an effort to capitalise on F1’s current surge in popularity in the United States.

The article claims that a partnership with Red Bull could be one way for the Blue Oval to get back to the top of motorsport, citing unnamed sources. According to reports, Ford has little to no desire to support a full works team at this time or in the near future. Therefore, a “badging exercise” where Red Bull receives some engineering and technical support in exchange for a sizable payment might be exactly what Ford is looking for.

What Christian Horner said

“We are fully focused on a Red Bull power unit, and if there was a like-minded partner that could contribute something to the project, then of course you would have to absolutely consider that. But it’s not a prerequisite,” said Horner, according to Motorsport.com “We will be the only team other than Ferrari to have engine and chassis all on one campus under one roof.”

It is thought that working with a company like Ford would grant the team a lot more freedoms than Porsche would have. According to rumours, the German automaker wanted a bigger say in how things were run than Red Bull was willing to give, including a stake in the team. Given that neither Red Bull nor Ford have publicly mentioned the other’s names, let alone released a statement on the subject, this is, of course, still just a rumour. Ford has been contacted for comment; when we hear back, we’ll update this story.

Not their first rodeo

Of course, Ford is no stranger to Formula 1. Several racing cars over the years have proudly displayed the American automaker’s logo. The infamous, colourful Benetton race car from the Schumacher era was propelled by a roaring Ford V8 that helped the German win two world championships. Later on, there was the Stewart F1 team, which raced solid white cars and had significant sponsorship from Blue Oval and HSBC.

Its most recent involvement in Formula One dates back to 2000, when Ford managed the sadly unsuccessful Jaguar F1 Racing team. Eddie Jordan’s team received engines from it as well, allowing them to power the final batch of the iconic yellow cars. Ford and Red Bull have collaborated successfully outside of Formula One through partnerships in rally racing.