Red Bull has been known for its partnership with Japanese manufacturer Honda. But at the end of the 2020 season, Honda pulled out from this partnership.
By then the engine specs had already been frozen till 2026. So, the Milton-Keynes-based team made a deal with Honda to share its intellectual property with them while the team continued working on its own Red Bull Power Train.
However, at the launch of its 2023 challenger ahead of the pre-season testing in Bahrain, Red Bull Racing confirmed Ford as their engine supplier from 2026.
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Red Bull will use the Honda RBPT engine in 2023
Despite withdrawing from the sport at the end of 2020, Honda decided to provide support to the Red Bull Racing team.
It took another step for the 2023 season when Honda announced that the engines would be officially named Honda RBPT. The engines would be used both by Red Bull and its sister team AlphaTauri for the 2023 season.
The technical partnership between the two was supposed to expire at the end of the current season. But both parties decided to extend their deal until the end of 2025.
Why did Red Bull not sign a deal with Honda?
The Red Bull Racing team has been working on its own power unit for when the new engine regulations launch in 2026.
During the launch of its 2023 challenger in New York, the team also announced its deal with Ford which came as a shock to many. This was mainly because, Honda too showed interest in being an engine supplier and enlisted itself in the list of new entries.
Red Bull revealed that when the team’s deal with Porsche fell apart, they held talks with Honda as well. But it was not fruitful.
Team boss Christian Horner explained that the discussions with the Japanese manufacturer did not conclude because it became too complicated logistically.
What is Red Bull’s deal with Ford?
After more than two decades away from Formula 1, Ford has decided to re-embark on its journey at the pinnacle of motorsport.
The American giants have joined hands with the Red Bull Powertrain to develop the next-gen hybrid PU to be used from the 2026 season.
Their collaboration will begin in the 2023 season. They will work on a 350kW electric motor and a new combustion engine which will work completely on fully sustainable fuels. These will be used from the 2026 season.
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