Ford Performance is increasing its involvement in the development of Red Bull’s 2026 Formula 1 powertrain, with 3D printing playing a key role in the partnership. Mark Rushbrook, Global Director of Ford Performance, described the collaboration as “excellent” and “getting stronger every day” in recent comments to Motorsport.com. The two organizations announced their partnership two years ago, with plans to form Red Bull Ford Powertrains beginning with the 2026 F1 season.
Advanced manufacturing capabilities, particularly 3D printing, have become central to Ford’s contribution to the powertrain project. “With our advanced manufacturing facility and our printing machines, we can make things in real time,” Rushbrook explained. “We literally make things every day that come out of Dearborn [Michigan, Ford’s HQ], get shipped and tested in the lab in Milton Keynes.”
The partnership has expanded beyond Ford’s initial focus on electrification components. Rushbrook noted that the collaboration is testing Ford’s “people, processes and facilities” while pushing the company to explore new approaches. Ford employees are becoming increasingly involved in the project, bringing their expertise to the development process.
Despite the challenges of Red Bull Powertrains being a relatively new organization and Ford having limited experience with F1 hybrid engines, Rushbrook expressed confidence in the project’s progress. “The project has indeed been built from scratch, but with people who already have a lot of experience in Formula 1,” he said. He confirmed that the powertrain development is meeting its power targets, though reliability testing continues.
The 2026 F1 season will introduce significant regulation changes, making powertrain development particularly crucial for teams. Rushbrook indicated that while not everything goes perfectly in such a complex project, the partnership’s ability to react quickly to challenges has been effective. The collaboration appears to be exceeding initial expectations, with Rushbrook stating it has been “everything we had hoped for and actually even more than expected.”
Source: motorsportweek.com