Ford: Red Bull F1 deal won't involve 'bottomless' pit of money

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Ford has warned that its F1 partnership with Red Bull won't involve a "bottomless" pit of money, with the Blue Oval committing to spending "in a responsible way" to achieve its objectives.

Last week, Red Bull and Ford announced a tie-up that will see the American automotive giant return to Grand Prix racing for the first time in over 20 years.

The alliance, which will begin in 2026 at the start of the sports' new power unit regulations, will involve a branding scheme but Ford will also contribute on the technical side to the development of Red Bull Powertrains' future engine, with a contingent of its engineers on-site in Milton Keynes.

Given Ford's immense resources, Ford Performance Motorsports boss Mark Rushbrook was asked if the company had a "bottomless" pit of money to devote to Formula 1.

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"Definitely not bottomless, I can attest to that," Rushbrook commented. "We do go racing in a responsible way, I believe, in all the different series that we go.

"We don’t have an unlimited budget, as much as racing sometimes wants you to go that way.

"We go in strategically with the right partners to win races, but also with a responsible budget."

While Ford won't be spending lavishly, the manufacturer does intend to leverage its partnership in F1 with Red Bull to the max in terms of marketing.

"I think this, as an overlay or additional programme, is very special in terms of what the opportunity is and what the real benefit is to the marketing team from our company, to be able to leverage motorsports in a way that we haven’t for a long time," said Rushbrook.

Ahead of the start of its 2026 collaboration with Ford, Red Bull and AlphaTauri will continue to be powered by Honda.

However, team boss Christian Horner says a "clear Chinese wall" has been erected between Honda and Red Bull Powertrains to ensure there is no crossover of intellectual property from Japan to Milton Keynes that could benefit Red Bull and Ford.

"There is a clear Chinese wall between the two activities, but we're obviously going to be working with Honda over the next few years to achieve the best results that we can," said Horner.

"They are fully committed, so it is very straightforward, and the relationship with Honda conclude at the end of 2025.

"We have a homologated engine, so it's effectively frozen."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.