‘Honda, Hyundai and Ford consider deal with Red Bull F1’

Now that the deal with Porsche and Red Bull has been closed, the way is once again clear for other potential collaborations. Red Bull Powertrains is already working on the engine for 2026, so it is relatively easy for car manufacturers to join. After all, the wheel does not have to be reinvented. In addition, there is a considerable bonus of several tens of millions in the offing for new manufacturers in Formula 1. It seems to arouse the interest of two new names and one old acquaintance.

Will Honda return?

According to the generally well-informed Auto, Motor und Sport A full return to Formula 1 is now on the table at Honda in Japan. Honda withdrew after last season and while it still supplies the engines to Red Bull (under the HRC name), it is no longer at the forefront of the sport. It may come back to that by 2026. It would be a relatively easy step for Honda, since it will supply the current engines to Max Verstappen’s team until that year and of course it is already familiar with Red Bull. There are reportedly talks between Red Bull and Honda next weekend around the GP of Japan.

Hyundai and Ford

However, Honda would not be the only manufacturer interested in a close partnership with Red Bull from 2026, when the new engine regulations come into effect. Meanwhile, Hyundai and Ford would also look around the corner. Formula 1 is completely new for Hyundai. It was never active as an engine supplier or as a team. At the moment, Hyundai is mainly focusing on the World Rally Championship. Ford is an old acquaintance. That was active for decades as an engine supplier in F1, although those were in fact Cosworth powerplants that also bore the Ford name. The only time Ford was really in control of an F1 team was when the then subsidiary brand Jaguar took part. Ford would now be interested in Formula 1, because the sport has gained enormous popularity in its home country of the United States. There will even be three GPs next year (in Miami, Austin and Las Vegas).

Motor Regulations 2026

Last summer, the FIA ​​gave a blow to the engine regulations that will apply from 2026. An important advantage of these regulations should be that newcomers can enter relatively easily, because the powertrains become less complex. The MGU-H, which generates electricity from heat and can feed electrical power back to the turbo and the powertrain, is disappearing. That’s an important change, because the MGU-H is complicated and expensive. The MGU-K, which converts kinetic energy into electricity and can then deliver power to the drivetrain, gets a lot stronger. The maximum system power then comes for half from the MGU-K and the other half comes from the combustion engine. The development of such a strong MGU-K could be interesting for car manufacturers, because knowledge in that area could be relevant for electric production cars. Finally, ‘100 percent sustainable fuel’ is used.