The story of Ford’s return to Components 1, from Pink Bull’s standpoint, is well-known by now.
The Milton Keynes-based workforce held prolonged talks with Porsche to develop a works engine for the all-new 2026 energy unit laws, however these finally collapsed. The German sports activities automotive model was eager on turning into an equal companion, together with shares, however Pink Bull feared shedding management. And given the involvement of the Volkswagen Group – and its myriad layers of governance – Pink Bull was additionally cautious of shedding its agile resolution making.
It led to the primary conversations, about which Horner shared an amusing anecdote: “We went to a gathering at Dearborn on the best way to Brazil, and met with your self, Invoice Ford and Jim [Farley]. I assumed we had been in fine condition when Jim walked into the assembly with a Sergio Perez cap! I assumed ‘Okay, we’re wanting fairly good right here!’ You can simply really feel that there was an actual enthusiasm from the very high of the corporate, from Invoice Ford, who was so keen about coming again to Components 1, and Jim, who’s a racer himself.”
Issues began shifting rapidly, though the query stays why Ford particularly selected Pink Bull for its new chapter in Components 1. Ford has a wealthy historical past within the collection, together with the once-omnipresent Cosworth DFV engines, though it had been absent since late 2004 when it bought the Jaguar workforce to none apart from Pink Bull.
The rising reputation of the game and the 2026 laws each performed their half swaying opinions on the Michigan headquarters. “In the event you would have requested me 5 years in the past, and truly individuals did ask me, ‘Is Ford going to get again into Components 1?’ then my reply was no. On the time we didn’t suppose that F1 was the precise place for us, however actually issues have modified afterwards”, Rushbrook stated.
“In the event you see how the laws are written down for 2026 with the rise of the electrification, with the gasoline modifications and with the dedication to be net-zero by 2030, that aligns with numerous our values and what’s necessary for us. The expansion of the game performs a job as properly. We go racing for innovation and for tech switch, so transferring know-how from the racetrack to the highway and, if potential, the opposite approach round as properly. We additionally need to go racing for the flexibility to inform the story of our firm, our individuals and our merchandise. Three years in the past, it grew to become clear that issues had been altering and that we wanted to take a critical take a look at Components 1 once more. And right here we’re.”
Ford thought of shopping for its personal workforce
However between the ambition of returning to F1 and truly signing a deal, there’s nonetheless the step of weighing up all of the choices. Rushbrook revealed that Ford additionally checked out different choices as soon as it was clear that the corporate needed to return to F1, together with the potential for shopping for an current workforce.
“Earlier than we had this take care of Pink Bull, there have been numerous discussions occurring,” he defined. “Some Components 1 groups approached us, and we approached some groups as properly. We would have liked to grasp the panorama and the alternative ways to get into the game.
“We even checked out ‘Okay, ought to we purchase a workforce ourselves?’ I believe we demonstrated by what this workforce has grow to be, what was once Jackie Stewart Racing and Jaguar, that this isn’t our core competency, proper? Sure, we’re in motorsports, however nowhere can we personal or run a workforce. We at all times go along with companions, whether or not it is Dick Johnson racing in Australia, Penske in NASCAR, Bob Tasca in NHRA or M-Sport in rally.
“You’ll be able to go and do your personal energy unit totally by your self or you may are available as only a buyer energy unit, however then Ford doesn’t have something invested right into a workforce itself. As quickly as we noticed this as a chance, it grew to become clear in a short time that it was the precise technique to go. This chance permits us to companion with what we consider is one of the best workforce within the collection. We’re complementary, and for us that’s the proper technique to do it.”
What’s Ford truly contributing?
The large query in these early conversations was what Ford might truly carry to the Pink Bull programme apart from a badge and its chequebook, and the way the ability unit programme can be run between the 2 companions, with work already properly below approach on the workforce’s in-house Pink Bull Powertrains division.
My first query to Christian was ‘What are you in search of in a companion?’ and I used to be ready to say what we had been in search of in a companion. Within the first 20 minutes of that dialogue there was a really broad alignment,” Rushbrook recalled. “In that first assembly we additionally outlined the areas the place Pink Bull Racing wanted assist with the ability unit and with the racing workforce, and the areas the place we needed to contribute and be taught. That course of continues at this time, though the record is longer at this time than throughout these preliminary discussions.”
After the primary assembly, the concept was that Ford would primarily assist with {the electrical} elements of the 2026 engine, though Rushbrook emphasizes that extra is occurring behind the scenes. “Additive manufacturing is an effective instance of that. We have now good assets and supplies for it. That wasn’t on the preliminary record, however it’s taking place now. The identical goes for contributing to the inner combustion engine and the turbo. These issues weren’t on the preliminary record both, however there’s numerous information that we’ve got with modelling and testing that may assist Pink Bull.”
Based on Rushbrook, it underlines that Ford is not simply in it for the advertising and marketing publicity but additionally for the aforementioned tech switch to its highway vehicles. “Our most important focus is on the electrification, the battery cell chemistry, the battery pack, the motor, the inverter, but additionally within the controls and the software program. That could be a huge alternative for us.”
It is a approach of working that’s fully totally different in comparison with what Pink Bull initially mentioned with Porsche, Horner identified. “From the outset Mark and Jim Farley stated ‘You guys do Components 1 day-after-day. That is your bread and butter. We’re not going to impose our methodology on you. You inform us, how can we assist? The place can we help?’ It was very a lot an open e-book. It appears like a partnership that you just’re not imposing on the engineers, which generally occurs in these relationships, and what we had been terrified of within the different possibility we had been taking a look at.”
The spirit of Mateschitz: ‘No threat, no enjoyable’
How aggressive the tip product of that collaboration will probably be in 2026 continues to be unknown, though Horner admitted that he was below no phantasm that the primary yr will probably be plain crusing. However he additionally sees a bonus for Ford, because the model won’t get publicly judged too harshly as a result of within the present set-up it does not have full duty over the engine. “It’s kind of like being grandparents”, Horner joked. “You get all the advantages of the child and all of the upsides, however then you definately give it again to the mother and father and you do not have the sleepless nights and also you don’t have to alter the nappies, so there’s a sort of analogy there.
“For us it is simply thrilling to have the Blue Oval again in Components 1. After all, there’s threat related to what we’re doing. Taking over and doing what we’re doing is insane by way of the funding and producing our personal engine, however as Dietrich Mateschitz at all times instructed us: ‘No threat, no enjoyable’. That applies to this venture, and it is one thing we could not have performed with out a like-minded companion.”
On this article
Ronald Vording
Components 1
Max Verstappen
Liam Lawson
Christian Horner
Pink Bull Racing
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