Red Bull offers fresh tease ahead of Ford launch event

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has said the Red Bull Ford Powertrains project is a “bold step into the future” for the team.

With one week to go until Red Bull and Racing Bulls launch their seasons at Ford’s Detroit base, attention will soon turn to how the team’s first in-house power unit will compare to the rest of the field.

Red Bull taking ‘bold step into the future’ with Ford power unit partnership

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After the conclusion of its partnership with Honda, which will move on to power Aston Martin, Red Bull will soon unveil its first-ever Powertrains creation in pre-season testing.

The team’s engine division struck up a partnership with Ford in 2023 that would see the two brands collaborate on a power unit for the 2026 season, which is barrelling into view.

Mekies previously described the move with a smile as a “typical Red Bull, crazy thing to do”, with the team having often been seen as going up against the established players in Formula 1 while still operating, ostensibly, as part of an energy drink firm.

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That said, as part of a technical partnership three years in the making with Ford on a power unit project that will be a fundamental change in how Formula 1 engines operate, Mekies explained the excitement he has at what the two brands could achieve together.

“The launch of the Red Bull Ford Powertrains era represents not only a bold step into the future, but a powerful expression of what’s possible when world-class engineering, innovation, and passion come together,” he said.

“To see the energy, precision, and scale behind this project is inspiring.

“It’s the culmination of several years of collaboration between two great names in motorsport.

“We’re incredibly excited to begin this new chapter, driven by the same determination and excellence that defines both Ford and Red Bull.”

Red Bull and Racing Bulls will be the first launch of 2026 as it stands on 15 January, with only McLaren yet to announce its F1 2026 launch plans at time of writing.

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