(WXYZ) — Ford Racing is officially back in Formula 1 in 2026, nearly three years after announcing a partnership with Oracle Red Bull Racing.
On Thursday, as part of a massive Ford Racing event at Michigan Central Station, Ford and Red Bull officially revealed the livery for the Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 car for 2026.
This year will be the team's first in the Red Bull Ford Powertrain era, and it comes as new regulations take effect for the 2026 F1 season. The cars this year will be shorter, narrower, lighter and nimbler, according to Formula 1.
"As the Ford Racing powertrain chief engineer, my challenge is to merge Ford’s 125-year winning culture with Red Bull’s relentless agility and 20-year history of winning," Ford Racing Powertrain Chief Engineer Christian Hertrich said in a post. Led by Red Bull, Ford Racing is supporting the build of an F1 power unit from the ground up for the 2026 season, and the pressure is daunting."
According to an article from Hertrich, engineers with Ford Racing have been working with Red Bull engineers to cut down on fabricating time, run models and much more.
"The road to March 2026 is a massive undertaking, but seeing our embedded engineers working seamlessly in Milton Keynes proves what is possible when two world-class teams unite. We are working night and day to be ready," Hertrich wrote.
Red Bull finished third in the Constructors' Championship during the 2025 F1 season. In 2026, the team will be led by multi-time world champion Max Verstappen, alongside rookie Isack Hadjar.
Will Ford, the GM of Ford Racing, also posted about how important it is for Ford to be back at the top tier of global racing, saying that at Ford, "we weren't just inspired by racing. We were born from it."
"When I first saw the new liveries for Oracle Red Bull Racing and Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, I didn’t see a marketing asset. I saw my family’s name back on a global stage where we have unfinished business," Will Ford wrote. "Seeing the Blue Oval integrated into those designs was a reminder of the weight we carry. It’s a testament to dedication of our engineers in Dearborn and Milton Keynes have already spent in the trenches."
