Over twenty years.
That’s how long it’s been since the famed Blue Oval has appeared in what many regard as the pinnacle of motorsport: Formula 1 racing.
But that hiatus ends soon, when the Oracle Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri race teams take to the grid for the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Ford just announced that it’s entering into a “longterm strategic technical partnership” with Red Bull Powertrains to develop a “next generation hybrid power unit” to debut in 2026.
According to Formula 1 specs, that hybrid powerplant means it’ll couple a 350 kW electric motor with an internal combustion engine that’s able to run on “fully sustainable fuels.”
If you’re keeping tabs at home, this announcement means that, when the flag drops in 2026, Ford will be the only auto manufacturer competing at every level of motorsport competition, from grassroots to Formula 1. That distinction adds to an already amazing resume that includes events and series like WRC, NHRA, NASCAR, The Dakar Rally, Le Mans 24 Hours, and Baja 1,000.
“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. Ford, alongside world champions, Oracle Red Bull Racing, 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.”
Bill Ford, Executive Chair
The news came to us via the folks at Ford Performance and it arrived with a pretty awesome three minute video too, check it out:
Amazing article, thanks