‘We’re going to be unstoppable’ – Inside Red Bull’s mammoth power unit project with Ford

Red Bull’s powertrain project, in conjunction with American car giant Ford, had a lot of airtime during the Formula 1 team’s impressive launch event in Detroit – and that’s because it’s a very big deal for the energy drinks firm.

Back in 2022, Red Bull took the step to create their own power unit facility from scratch after engine partner Honda, with whom they had enjoyed success, opted to withdraw from Formula 1 (before later deciding to return with Aston Martin in 2026).

Red Bull threw everything at the project, building a bespoke set-up on their Milton Keynes campus and recruiting heavily – including tempting several members of staff from Mercedes, who had enjoyed unprecedented success in the turbo-hybrid era.