Ford is pleased with the progress of engine development for Red Bull

      In 2026, the Red Bull Racing team will switch to its own power plants developed jointly with Ford. Mark Rushbrook, head of Ford Performance Motorsport, said that the company is involved in the project even more than originally planned – Ford is working not only on the electrical component of the power plant, but also on the internal combustion engine.

      "Our cooperation is strengthening every day, from the first negotiations and from the moment the contract was signed, although work had already begun before that,– said Mark Rushbrook. – We are contributing to this project in various fields and generally adhere to the schedule of work on both the internal combustion engine and the electrical component.

      Of course, there is still a lot to be done in terms of strengthening and developing our relationship, but in terms of cooperation, openness, trust and contributions from both sides, everything is going just fine and even exceeds our expectations.

      Initially, we focused on the electrical component of the power plant. However, in our advanced manufacturing, thanks to 3D printing, we can produce various engine components in real time.

      In Dearborn [Michigan, where Ford is headquartered], we produce parts every day, which are shipped and tested in Milton Keynes. As a result, we are doing something that we have never done before in other racing programs."

      Mark Rushbrook hinted that all kinds of talk about the low reliability of the Red Bull-Ford powerplant prototypes may partly reflect the true state of things: "You usually can't say that 100% of the goals are achieved immediately, although exceptions are always possible. But if we're talking about power, then we have an absolute match in this component.

      However, when it comes to reliability tests, the question arises: "Is everything being done perfectly?" No, but that's the reality of any program. Such questions arise along the way, but what matters is how you respond to them. We react to what we see."