One of many rumors circulating across the System 1 world was confirmed this week when Ford introduced its return to the game for the 2026 season in partnership with Crimson Bull Racing. The announcement got here as Crimson Bull held its season opener in New York Metropolis, turning into the primary F1 staff to start out its season in the US.
Why is the American producer returning to the game after virtually 20 years outdoors F1?
Let’s dive in.
Ford’s historical past in F1
Ford’s historical past in F1 dates again to 1967, when the producer entered the game with its DFV engine. In 1965, the FIA agreed to double the utmost capability of F1 engines from 1.5 liters to three.0 litres. This adjustment has opened the door for present groups to discover new engines for F1.
One of many outcomes? Partnership between Ford and English producer Cosworth to supply engines for Workforce Lotus. Their engine, the DFV (quick for Double 4 Valve) turned probably the most profitable F1 engine of its period. Unveiled in April 1967, it took its first victory simply two months later on the Dutch Grand Prix with Jim Clark on the wheel. In his debut season, DFV noticed Lotus second within the Constructors’ Championship and Clark third within the Drivers’ Championship.
In 1968, Lotus misplaced the unique rights to the Ford-Cosworth engine, and different groups started racing the DFV of their automobiles. Amongst these groups had been McLaren and Matra.
From 1967 to 1983, when Keke Rosberg gained the Monaco Grand Prix with the DFV, this engine scored 155 Grand Prix victories. The Nineteen Eighties noticed the arrival of turbocharged engines, and groups – together with Ford – started to slowly transfer away from DFVs in favor of turbocharged engines.
DFV’s 155 wins rank fifth all-time in F1, and Ford’s whole of 176 F1 wins ranks it third all-time for producer wins, behind the Ferrari 243 and Mercedes 212.
The Ford-Cosworth DFV nonetheless holds many single-season data in F1. In each 1969 and 1973, the DFV engine gained each Grand Prix. The DFV additionally holds the document for consecutive wins, because the DFV engine gained 22 races in a row in 1972, 1973 and 1974.
All in all, Ford and Ford engines are chargeable for ten Constructors’ Championships and 13 Drivers’ Championships.
Ford ultimately switched to a turbo engine within the late Nineteen Eighties, and whereas the producer was unable to copy the success it had throughout the DFV period, there have been notable moments throughout Ford’s turbocharged interval. These embody seeing Michael Schumacher win the Drivers’ Championship with Benetton Ford in 1994 – though the staff was knocked out of the Constructors’ Championship that season by Williams Renault – and a yr later when Crimson Bull Sauber Ford completed seventh within the Constructors’ Championship.
This season, one other staff with a Ford engine appeared on the monitor. Simtek Ford driver by Jos Verstappen.
Sure, Max’s father.
Ford purchased the Steward F1 staff forward of the 2000 marketing campaign, renaming it Jaguar Racing. The Jaguar-Ford staff had minimal success over the following few years, and Ford ultimately offered the Jaguar Racing staff in 2005.
To Crimson Bull.
Why now?
Ford’s determination to return to the F1 grid within the coming years is sensible for 2 causes, each of which had been highlighted by the producer when the return was introduced: sustainability and F1’s continued progress and recognition.
Relating to the primary level, in 2019 F1 introduced a forward-looking sustainability technique specializing in three key pillars. First, F1 has introduced a purpose of reaching web zero carbon emissions by 2030, together with supplying 100% sustainable fuels. Secondly, F1’s purpose was to depart a path of constructive change wherever it was raced. Lastly, F1 has dedicated to taking steps to construct a extra numerous and inclusive sport by eradicating boundaries, nurturing expertise and galvanizing change.
As a part of these efforts, the following era of F1 automobiles that hit the monitor will “use considerably much less power and produce web zero CO2 emissions” on account of upcoming F1 rule adjustments. Among the many adjustments, the following era of F1 automobiles will run on absolutely sustainable gasoline, which means “no new fossil carbon shall be burned, as an alternative the carbon will come from non-food sources, actual municipal waste and even from the environment.” They can even have thrice {the electrical} output as F1 strikes away from present inner combustion engines (ICEs) and strikes to a “way more highly effective electrical part”.
The 2 electrical models at present in use, the MGU-Okay and MGU-H, will use much more electrical energy than present racing automobiles. “The MGU-Okay (or Kinetic Motor Generator Unit) will almost triple the quantity of electrical energy produced by present hybrid parts. Extra braking power – which might in any other case be wasted – shall be harvested, leading to a goal for the MGU-Okay to supply round 350kW in 2026 – a large enhance over the 120kW of power at present utilized by the MGU-Okay and MGU – h
When do these guidelines come into power?
2026 when Ford goes on-line in partnership with Crimson Bull.
F1’s said sustainability objectives align effectively with the course Ford has taken lately for its car fleet. Ford expects almost half of its world car fleet to be absolutely electrical by 2030, and has made huge investments in electrical automobiles. In 2021, the producer introduced plans to construct “Blue Oval Metropolis”, a large advanced in Tennessee to supply next-generation F-Collection electrical transducers and superior batteries. The corporate additionally introduced “Oval SK Battery Park”, one other future advanced to be in-built downtown Kentucky, consisting of twin battery energy vegetation that may energy a brand new vary of Ford and Lincoln electrical automobiles.
As well as, Ford is “working to fulfill elevated shopper demand and ship 600,000 electrical automobiles globally by the tip of this yr and a couple of million globally by the tip of 2026 below the Ford+ plan.”
In saying the partnership with Crimson Bull, Govt Chairman Invoice Ford mentioned of the connection: “Ford returns to the top of sport, bringing Ford’s lengthy custom of innovation, sustainability and electrification to one of many world’s most seen milestones.”
There may be one other essential line of thought behind this transfer.
The continued progress of F1’s recognition, each around the globe and right here in the US.
It is no secret that progress within the US market is a big a part of F1’s imaginative and prescient for the longer term. As has been effectively documented right here and elsewhere, the 2023 F1 season contains three races right here in the US, probably the most within the historical past of an F1 season. This contains the long-awaited Las Vegas Grand Prix the place drivers will race throughout the Vegas Strip on Saturday evening.
This continued progress and enlargement in the US appears to have FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem in his nook. When the partnership between Ford and Crimson Bull was introduced, President Ben Sulayem talked about the event in his assertion: “There are few producers with such a well-known motorsport historical past as Ford, so to see them return to the FIA System 1 World Championship is good news. This additional underscores the success of the 2026 powertrain rules, which purpose at each sustainability and showmanship, and naturally, elevated curiosity from the US is essential to additional develop the world’s high motorsport class.”
On the Crimson Bull season opener in New York on Friday, Crimson Bull boss and CEO Christian Horner, together with drivers Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez and Daniel Ricciardo, all spoke concerning the improvement of the game in the US. and the recognition of Crimson Bull within the US. Based on Perez, assist for Crimson Bull is “rising a lot” in the US and the staff is “turning into the favourite staff of this nation”. Verstappen insisted the US was “essential” to the staff.
Sam Horner talked about the expansion of F1 in the US this week and has spoken in favor of a fourth American occasion, in New York. In an interview with Day by day mailHorner mentioned: “Racing in huge cities within the US is actually thrilling. For instance, a race right here within the Huge Apple, what a spectacle that will be.
Horner continued, “The game is rising exponentially around the globe, however particularly in the US,” he provides. “You are feeling it if you arrive, the man from the immigration division is aware of who you might be. It is a step change from what it was earlier than, and the extra we construct on that and capitalize on that momentum, the higher.”
Horner additionally mentioned this concerning the partnership with Ford after the announcement, in an announcement launched to the media together with nation SB:
At Oracle Crimson Bull Racing we at all times attempt to do issues first and do issues otherwise. That is the primary time we now have began our season outdoors the UK and the primary time any F1 staff has began within the US. The expansion of our sport in America can’t be ignored, there are over 50 million F1 followers within the US with 72% of them following us and the way in which the followers have welcomed our staff right here has been distinctive. In 2023, Oracle Crimson Bull Racing shall be greater than ever in the US, not solely racing, but additionally working the Crimson Bull Showruns and America’s first F1 team-led highway journey, Grand Tauro USA, later this yr. We additionally wished to have a good time and welcome Ford to their house nation as Ford turns into a brand new accomplice of Crimson Bull Powertrains from 2026.
Ford’s determination to rejoin the community comes at a time when the game is rising in recognition in the US and makes lots of enterprise sense. Ford CEO Jim Farley in an interview with FOX firm after the partnership was introduced, he mentioned of returning to F1: “We’re constructing two million models of electrical automobiles. We’ve not constructed that a lot for the reason that Twenties, so we have to promote these automobiles to a brand new era of consumers,” mentioned Farley. “Sports activities is exploding in America. Three races, many younger, numerous prospects and that is who we wish to promote electrical automobiles to.”
Why Crimson Bull?
Why not from Ford’s perspective?
Crimson Bull has one of many sport’s largest stars – and one of the best drivers – in a staff with Verstappen. The staff wraps up Verstappen’s second consecutive Drivers’ Championship in addition to its first Constructors’ Championship since 2013. As famous above, as the game grows in the US, the partnership with Crimson Bull – and again to. F1 itself – makes lots of sense to Ford.
However what about Crimson Bull’s perspective?
In any case, Ford wasn’t the one potential accomplice within the combine. Final month there was speak that producers like Porsche had been choices for Crimson Bull. Ultimately, nevertheless, the match between Crimson Bull and Ford made probably the most sense for either side.
As Horner mentioned Runner in an interview on Friday, Ford’s presence within the States together with what they provided made the partnership acceptable:
“They’re two wonderful manufacturers [Ford and Porsche]Horner instructed RACER on Friday. “We have had some constructive conversations with Porsche; finally it did not come to a conclusion, however from a really early stage with Ford, we noticed that there was an actual need to do one thing in a means that match our personal worldviews.
“There was no real interest in capital or course to run the technical facet of the enterprise. So it was a quite simple deal – there was a need from (Govt Chairman) Invoice Ford and (CEO) Jim Farley. I believe technically and commercially it simply felt proper.
Once more, as Horner mentioned, Ford’s presence within the US market proved to be a driving power Runner: “Ford is such a powerful model, such a robust model, particularly within the US market, which is once more such a key progress marketplace for System 1. I simply felt like, ‘You understand what? The celebrities agree. I believe generally in life the offers which might be one of the best are the best and most pure, and this had all of these qualities.”
From sustainability to marketability and past, the partnership looks as if an ideal match from the surface.
Now they need to ship on monitor beginning in 2006.