Ford returns to Formula 1

AN F1 PURPLE PATCH FOR RED BULL AND BLUE OVAL?

- ANDY ENRIGHT

THE LIVERY reveal for Red Bull's 2023 car was unexpectedly glitzy. And it was held in New York. Attendees had been clued in beforehand that they should be prepared for something more than a new paint job for the RB19. And so it proved. Red Bull announced a collaboration with Ford that would see both Red Bull and its junior team, Alpha Tauri, use Ford branded powertrains from 2026.

Scheduled to run until at least 2030, this deal would see Ford provide technical input, with the Blue Oval looking to bolster Red Bull Powertrains' expertise on the hybrid side of the engine. The 2026 rule set not only mandates 100-percent sustainable fuels but also an increase to almost 50 percent in the electrical component of the powertrain. Red Bull's Milton Keynes facility has been gearing up to provide the internal combustion expertise but third-party support for the hybrid system seemed a natural fit.

But, as Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has mentioned on a number of occasions, that deal with an OEM had to be on Red Bull's terms. The team had previously engaged in talks with both Honda and Porsche, the former engaging in its usual ill-timed dithering and the latter having overplayed its hand somewhat by attempting to buy a 50 percent stake in the Red Bull F1 operation.