Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner says that Ford brings more to the partnership with Red Bull Powertrains as they prepare to enter Formula 1 in 2026. However, Horner emphasizes that the American automaker does not interfere with the company and gives the Milton Keynes engineering team space to do their work.
Ford is supporting the development of the new power unit currently being created for future regulations at Red Bull's impressive new facility in Milton Keynes. This partnership was originally offered to and rejected by Porsche. Ford's support ensures that Red Bull doesn't have to bear the full costs of the program. "I think the team has grown into more than just a customer. We've had a great relationship with Honda, where we were treated as a factory team, but we paid every penny of the engine costs and will continue to do so until the end of 2025," Horner says in an interview with Autosport.
"So instead of paying someone else to do it, we thought we could better utilize that funding internally. And a partnership with Ford has effectively halved that burden for the stakeholders. In a cost-neutral environment, it starts to make real sense," the Brit explains. Horner indicated that Ford's experience in electric vehicle technology will be valuable for the F1 project. "I think they bring a lot of interesting knowledge in terms of their electrification and cell technology investments," explains the Red Bull team principal. Ford can particularly contribute in the field of electricity, which will play a significant role in the engines starting from 2026.
"Internal combustion engines are a niche in F1. But I really think they show a lot of interesting developments in the field of electricity. We have weekly contact with Ford people and see some very interesting developments," Horner continues. "They're not trying to tell us how to run our business, and they're not involved from a shareholder perspective. It has been a very fruitful relationship so far." The deal with Red Bull was made possible by the presence of Ford CEO Jim Farley, a motorsports enthusiast who has raced himself.
Horner is not concerned about possible management changes that could hinder the F1 program. "You can never predict so far into the future," acknowledges Horner. "We have an agreement until 2030. Bill Ford was one of the key driving forces behind this agreement. So it comes from the Ford family, along with Jim Farley's enthusiasm for the project. So that gives us reassurance, and I think the fact that Ford was previously involved in F1 here (in Milton Keynes with Stewart and Jaguar, ed.) means they know how complex and complicated it is."
Ford is there to help, not to take over a part of Red Bull. "They actually said, 'Look, this is a specialist subject for you guys. We're here to help, so let us know where we can assist." I think we now have the biggest campus in F1," says Horner. "We're now on a 50-hectare site with 18 buildings. So the team has grown, it has progressed. It's not a Norman Foster building. But it has to be practical. And I think what we've developed in the chassis side of the company and now replicating for the engine and advanced technology, it's a working facility and one that's interactive for the employees," Horner concludes.