FORD’S RED BULL DIVIDEND
Jim Farley believes Ford’s recently announced deal to partner Red Bull in the development of a hybrid powertrain for Formula 1, expected to make its debut with new F1 regulations in 2026, can recall the glory days of the 1970s, when the Ford-cosworth DFV V8 was by far the most successful engine in the sport, taking the bulk of its 155 wins from 262 races.
By the time the new powertrain appears, electric assistance is expected to provide nearly 50% of an F1 car’s propulsion.
“Our deal will be a pure technology transfer,” explains Farley. “We have high-discharge battery technology, we have top-class combustion know-how and we have a close relationship with Exxonmobil, which will be especially important in the new era of sustainable fuels.
“Red Bull can help us too with aerodynamic theory. Every little aero gain is going to be so much more valuable than it was in the ICE era, because it helps us cut down on batteries that are heavy and expensive. Red Bull are also big on prognostics – the prediction of failure. F1 technology, with AI, has been predicting problems with race cars for a long time. Ford makes the best-selling vans and pick-ups in the world: imagine having that facility with a road car.”
Ford is also banking on the forthcoming Red Bull link helping it “emotionalise the brand”, with an eye on the huge impact the Netflix series Drive to Survive has had on the awareness and approval of F1 in the US. “Who’s a better advocate for a good car than a popular F1 driver?” says Farley. “This could be incredible for our company.”