Story behind Red Bull and Ford Deal in Formula 1

The story of Ford’s return to Ford’s Formula 1 from the red bull’s point of view is well known so far.

The Milton Keins-based team had a long conversation with Porsche, so that a work engine could be developed for all the new 2026 power unit rules, but they eventually collapsed. The German sports car was eager to become a similar partner including brand shares, but Red Bull feared losing control. And looking at the participation of the Volkswagen group – and its innumerable layers of governance – Red Bull was also careful of making its tight decisions.

Ford observed the breakdown of red bull interaction with porsche with deep interest and immediately saw an opportunity. Ford Motorsports Director Mark Rushbruk told Motorsports.com, “It became very clear that at least what we saw from outside was not going to work for the red bull with Porsche”, Ford Motorsports of Motorsports Director Mark Rushbruk told Motorsports.com. “I really got the email address of Christian Horner, sent him an email and said ‘Hi, do you want to talk?” ,

This led to the first conversation, about which Horner shared an entertaining anecdote: “We went to a meeting in Dearborne on the way to Brazil, and met ourselves, Bill Ford and Jim (Farle). We were in shape when we were in good shape when gym went to the meeting with one Sergio Perez Cap! I thought ‘Okay, we look great here!’ You can just feel that there was a real enthusiasm from the top of the company from Bill Ford, which was very excited about coming back to Formula 1, and the gym, which is a racer itself. ,

Things began to move quickly, although the question remains as to why Ford chose Red Bull for his new chapter in Formula 1. The Ford has a rich history in the series, which also included a time-omnipotent Cosworth DFV engine, although it was absent from the end of 2004 when it was absent from late 2004. It sold the Jaguar team to anyone other than the Red Bull.

The growing popularity of the game and the 2026 rules played their role in the Michigan headquarters. “If you had asked me five years ago, and in reality people asked me,” Is Ford going back to Formula 1? ” Then I did not have the answer.

“If you see how the rules for 2026 are written for 2026, with the change in fuel and the commitment to be net-zero by 2030, which aligns with many of our values ​​and for us What is important. The development of the game plays a role.

Ford considered buying his team

But amidst the ambition to return to F1 and actually signing a deal, there is still a step to weigh all the options. Rushbruk revealed that Ford also saw other options, once it became clear that the company wanted to return to F1, including the possibility of buying the current team.

“Before we used to deal this deal with Red Bull, there was a lot of discussion,” he explained. “Some Formula 1 teams contacted us, and we also contacted some teams. We needed to understand various ways to enter the landscape and game.

“We also saw” Okay, should we buy a team ourselves? ” I think what this team has become, it used to be Jackie Stewart Racing and Jaguar, that this is not our main ability, well, we are in motor), but we do not have a team anywhere. Go with partners, whether it is Dick Johnson Racing in Australia, Penscay in NASCAR, Bob smuggling in NHRA or M-Sport at Rally.

“You can go and do your own power unit completely by yourself or you can just come as a customer power unit, but then Ford has not invested himself in a team. We saw it as an opportunity, it became clear very quickly that this was the right way.

What is really contributing Ford?

The big question in those initial conversations was that Ford could actually bring in the Red Bull program in addition to a badge and its checkbook, and how the power unit program between the two partners will run, already working well in the team – House Red Bull Paurtrain Division.

My first question from Christian was ‘What are you looking for in a partner?’ And I was ready to say what we were seeing in a partner. The first 20 minutes of that discussion had a very widespread alignment, “Rushbruk remembered.” In that first meeting we also underlined the areas where Red bull racing Power units and racing teams, and help with areas where we wanted to contribute and learn. This process continues even today, although the list is long today during those initial discussions. ,

After the first meeting, the idea was that Ford would mainly help with the electrical parts of the 2026 engine, although Rushbrook emphasizes that more behind the curtain. “Educational manufacturing is a good example of this. We have good resources and materials for it. It was not in the initial list, but it is now happening. The same internal combustion goes to contribute to engine and turbo. There were no more knowledge that we have with modeling and testing that can help red bulls. “

According to Rushbruk, it underlines that Ford is not only for marketing exposure, but also for the transfer of the aforesaid technology to its road cars. “Our main focus is in electrification, battery cell chemistry, battery pack, motor, but also in control and software. This is a big opportunity for us.”

This is a way to work that Red Bull initially discussed with Porsche, compared to Porsche, Horner said. “From the beginning Mark and Jim Farley said, ‘You guys do Formula 1 every day. This is your bread and butter. We are not going to apply your functioning on you. You tell us, how can we help? Where can you help?

Meterschitz spirit: ‘No risk, no fun’

How competitive the final product of that cooperation in 2026 would be, still unknown, although Horner admitted that he was not in any confusion that the first year would be plain sailing. But he also sees an advantage for Ford, as the brand cannot be publicly just justice because the current set-up does not have full responsibility on the engine. “This is like being a grandparents”, Horner joked. “You get all the benefits of children and all the upsides, but then you give it back to the parents and you do not have sleepless sleep and you don’t have to change the diapers, so there is a kind of an analgesic There.

“It is exciting for us to return to Blue Oval in Formula 1. Certainly, there is a risk associated with what we are doing. Taking and doing what we are doing is crazy in terms of investment and produce our own engine Doing, but as Detrich Mettschitz always told us: ‘No risk, no fun’.