--- title: "Christian Horner Says Ford’s EV Knowledge Is Key to Red Bull F1 Partnership" description: "During the unveiling of Red Bull's 2023 F1 car, team principal Christian Horner spoke about the upcoming partnership with Ford." date: "2023-02-05" modified: "2023-02-05" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/christian-horner-says-fords-ev-knowledge-is-key-to-red-bull-f1-partnership" categories: - "News" - "Racing" --- # Christian Horner Says Ford’s EV Knowledge Is Key to Red Bull F1 Partnership ![]() *Photo | Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for Oracle Red Bull Racing* Ford and [Red Bull Racing]() recently announced their partnership to develop hybrid powertrains for the 2026 season and beyond. Red Bull previously had been working on a deal with Porsche but that ultimately fell through and it's now officially tied the knot with Ford. According to Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner, Ford's EV knowhow was key to the partnership. “It’s great to have this relationship with Ford, their expertise, especially in EVs,” Horner told *The Drive* at the [Red Bull F1 car launch ]()in NYC. “As an independent engine manufacturer, we’d be at a disadvantage to our competitors if we didn’t have that." There are critics who feel that this partnership is nothing more than a branding exercise but Horner squashed such notions. “Absolutely \[it’s more than a branding exercise\], it’ll be a technical exchange. Of course, the facilities will be in-house at Milton Keynes, but we’ll be able to draw from their expertise. Ford’s invested billions and billions in the whole EV sector, with batteries, automation, software, and more,” Horner added. ![]() *Photo | Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for Oracle Red Bull Racing* “There’s no change in shareholding or formation of the company, it’s a contractual relationship with Ford for many years. It’s a multi-year agreement. It covers the next phase of the engine regulations,” the Red Bull boss said. “The roles are clearly defined as to what each partner is gonna do. We’re just chuffed to be in this partnership with one of the biggest manufacturers in the world, as well as in the EV forefront.” Ford doesn't only bring EV knowhow to the relationship, it also brings a rich racing pedigree. Ford has developed engines for F1 on and off since the 1960s, including an engine co-developed with Cosworth, the DFV, that became the winningest engine in F1 history. It's expected that Ford will develop the 350 kW electric motor for the hybrid powertrains used by 2026 F1 cars, per upcoming regulations. Red Bull Powertrains (RBPT) is expected to develop the internal combustion engine, with some technical input from Ford, and it will run on sustainable fuels. Regardless of its exact role in its partnership with Red Bull, Ford was still able to beat Cadillac and Andretti to F1, as the latter two are still trying to enter. *Got tips? Send 'em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()