After nearly 20 years away from Formula One, Ford announced its return to the sport Friday. The automaker owned and ran the Jaguar F1 team until 2004 when Jaguar was sold and became Red Bull Racing.
“Ford, alongside world champions Red Bull Racing, is returning to the pinnacle of sport, bringing Ford’s long tradition of innovation, sustainability and electrification to one of the world’s most visible stages,” Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford said in a statement Friday. “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.”
The partnership between Ford and Red Bull Racing begins with immediate technical support this upcoming season. The two will partner to build a hybrid power unit that will supply engines to both the Red Bull and AlphaTauri teams when new Formula One regulations begin in 2026. The regulations require the current twin-turbo V6 engines to run on sustainable fuel and be fitted with hybrid components.
“Our commitment to be Net Zero Carbon by 2030 and to introduce sustainable fuels in the F1 cars from 2026 is also an important reason for their decision to enter F1,” Formula One President and CEO Stefano Domenicali said of Ford in a statement Friday. “The news today that Ford is coming to Formula 1 from 2026 is great for the sport and we are excited to see them join the incredible automotive partners already in Formula 1.”
Ford dominated Formula One in the late 1960s and 1970s and is the third most successful engine maker in F1 history. The company has won 176 races, 10 constructors’ championships and 13 drivers’ championships.
Red Bull Racing brings its own prestige to the partnership as well. The team won the constructors’ championship last season, and Red Bull racer Max Verstappen is the two-time defending world champion.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
