RED BULL-FORD ENGINE DEVELOPMENT UPDATE BAD NEWS FOR F1 RIVALS

The Milton Keynes-based team will work with US carmaker Ford when the new regulations come into force in 2026.

Ford Motor Company CEO Jim Farley has issued a dire warning to rival Formula 1 teams regarding engine development at Oracle Red Bull Racing.

With the arrival of the ground effect era in 2022, rival Red Bull has supplanted Mercedes in F1 dominance. Thanks to the performance of driver Max Verstappen, the team won the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship for the second consecutive year.

Fans will be hoping that McLaren closes the gap between the champions as the 2023 season progresses and that the generally positive response to the progress of arch-rivals Ferrari and Mercedes will bring the title fight closer in 2024. However, the latest information about Red Bull, particularly its powertrain department, could have rivals worried that the Milton Keynes outfit will maintain their top position and break records for years to come.

Ford of America CEO Jim Farley recently visited Red Bull’s technical campus in Buckinghamshire to assess the team’s 2026 powertrain development. The two companies joined forces early last year and agreed an engine supply contract that will run from the 2026 season, when the next era of F1 cars begins.

Development of the Ford-Red Bull engine has already begun, and based on what he has seen, Farley is confident that the partnership will be fruitful from the start.