Red Bull look to Ford as Mx faces uncertain future

JEHRAN NAIDOO

- 

IT’S NO secret that Max Verstappen and Red Bull will only be catching a distant glimpse of the rear end of McLaren for the foreseeable future — even with the flying Dutchman’s trademark aggressive driving.

Turned all the way up, the RB21 still has no chance this season of catching the papaya lightning, even with Verstappen behind the wheel. A fifth consecutive world title now looks out of reach.

The Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka figuratively marked the end of Red Bull’s successful partnership with Honda, as Christian Horner’s team now focuses on their new alliance with American car manufacturer Ford.

Aimed at a more sustainable approach to Formula One, Ford will work with Red Bull to develop the next-generation hybrid power units for both Oracle Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri.

Ford will be involved in developing the new battery and electric motor technology, power unit control software and analytics, and the combustion engine.

The 2026 F1 regulations dictate that constructors must use a 50/50 split between internal combustion and electric power. The new rules also require teams to run on 100% synthetic fuels sourced sustainably.