Ford’s famous collaboration with Red Bull Powertrains isn’t just about the automaker’s return to Formula 1 after more than two decades. It also signals the full foray of the Blue Oval into motorsport.
Ford will be the only automaker to compete in a wide range of motorsports in 2026. This ranges from grassroots racing to Formula 1, WEC and IMSA competition, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the Mustang GT3. The company will also be represented in the WRC with the M-Sport Ford Puma Hybrid Rally1, the Baja 1000 with the Ranger Raptor and Bronco, and NASCAR, NHRA and Supercars with the Mustang.
Electrification is of course part of the plan. In line with the new Red Bull Ford, the automaker has exemplified its belief in the relationship between racing and producing winning products. The infographic above features an upcoming electric pickup prototype under “EV Performance Demonstrators,” which is speculated to be based on the F-150 Lightning.
The other two silhouettes in the infographic are the upcoming Mustang race cars and the previously revealed Ranger Raptor.
If EV performance demonstrators sound familiar, that’s because we’ve seen two of them before – the Mustang Mach-E 1400, which comes with seven electric motors that produce a total of 1,400 horsepower (1,044 kilowatts), and the 2,000 horsepower (1,491 kW) electric SuperVan 4, which can go from 0 to 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) in less than two seconds.
Details on the new F-150 Lightning-based demonstrator, including its power output and upgrades, remain unclear. However, it is expected to perform as impressively as the other two EV performance demonstrators.
It should be noted that Ford and Red Bull Powertrains will start developing an advanced powertrain from 2023, all for upcoming F1 technical regulations. This power unit will include a 350 kW electric motor and a combustion engine capable of using fully sustainable fuels, with the aim of being ready for the 2026 season. Ford will offer its technical expertise in areas where it can contribute to the world championship team successes including combustion engine development, battery cell technology, electric motor technology, power unit control software and analysis.
