Technical Implications of Red Bull Powertrains and Ford F1 Partnership in 2026
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The technical support programme between Red Bull Powertrains and Honda Racing Corporation extends to the end of 2025. From 2026, American automotive giant Ford will be Red Bull Powertrains’ technical partner, working together to develop the next-gen hybrid power unit that will supply engines to Oracle Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri. 2026 will see that the 1600 cc, 90-degree V6 architecture remains unchanged, with a similar RPM limit. However, fundamental changes to the formulae include the removal of the MGU-H, an increase in output for the MGU-K and much tighter constraints on internal combustion engine design.
The internal combustion engine (ICE) will run on 100% sustainable fuel by 2026, which must be sourced from non-food bio sources, municipal waste or certified carbon capture schemes. The technical regulations specify that the fuel energy flow rate must not exceed 3000MJ/h, which equates to approximately 65kg/h, compared to the current fuel flow rate of 100kg/h. However, the FIA has reduced the fuel flow rate in a bid to reduce ICE output to approximately 400kW (536bhp), representing an approximately 35% drop in performance compared to the engines of the current era. The MGU-H absence will necessitate a complete redesign of the ICE as the combustion regime of the existing engines is permitted by the charge air control the MGU-H provides.
The rules will provide greater freedom for combustion system design but will outlaw features such as variabl...
