“Ford returns”: Formula 1 confirms the return of the American giant

half an hour before Red Bull announced in New York the design of its single-seater for the 2023 season, the Formula 1 made official a rumor that had grown in recent days: Ford’s return to the top flight.

“Ford Returns”says the photo which was uploaded to F1’s official social media accounts. Although Red Bull is expected to provide more information on who will be its engine supplier from 2026, on the F1 website they have remarked that the return will take place thanks to “the new regulations”.

“Some 20 years after its last outing in 2004, the recall of future F1 engine regulationswhich include increased electric power and 100% sustainable fuels will bring Ford back to the grid starting in the 2026 campaign,” Liberty Media noted.

Stefano Domenicali, president and CEO of F1, expressed his joy: “Today’s news that Ford will arrive in Formula 1 from 2026 is great for the sport. and we are thrilled to see them join the fantastic automotive partners already in Formula 1.”

A little history of Ford in F1

Henry Ford II wanted to buy the empire built by Enzo Ferrari and, unable to do so, declared war on the Scuderia. Part of that battle is portrayed in the film ‘Against the Impossible’, which recalls Ford’s victory over Ferrari in the historic 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans. A few weeks before that event, in Monaco, Bruce McLaren debuted the first McLaren in F1 powered by Ford.

Yes, OK never participated in Formula 1 as an official teamFord has a rich history built between the 1960s and 2004 of selling Jaguar to Red Bull and never coming back.

Perhaps for this reason Mark Rushbrook, global director of the Ovalo brand, was encouraged to say “never say never” in 2018 when asked to return to the category in which he was champion for the first time in 1968 driving a Lotus.

Five years later, Ford marked a milestone in F1, as in addition to powering Lotus which won the Constructors’ World Championship, its V8 engine was in the other four teams that made up that top 5 in 1973, as well as three which completed the ten best, behind Ferrari (6th) and BRM (7th).

It did so in association with Cosworth, a combination that has been a success, as these powerful engines have amassed more than 150 victories and 22 titles, between manufacturers and drivers. However, to achieve it, the action of Colin Chapman was essential.

The Lotus Cars founder, F1 team principal and one of the greatest engineers ever wanted a winning engine and convinced Ford to give Cosworth co-founder and owner Keith Duckworth a financial chance and build an engine that would rule the era .

From the convergence of Ford and Cosworth was born the DFV, or double four valves, or two 1.8-litre four-cylinder in-line arranged in a V with an angle of 90°. Although it was not the most powerful engine at the time, because Ferrari had a V12 with more horsepower, the advantage was its weight, among other virtues of its design, such as being bolted to the monocoque behind the driver, without being supported by a tubular frame, for example.

Winner at Monaco, Le Mans and, in a turbo variant, the Indianapolis 500, the DFV – with its evolutions and adaptations, such as the DFY with which he ended his career in 1985 – reigned in F1 for almost two decades.

In 1975, for example, 12 of the 13 World Cup teams (Brabham, McLaren, Hesketh, Tyrrell, Shadow, Lotus, March, Williams, Parnelli, Hill, Penske and Ensign) had this V8 engine. Of course, everyone succumbed to the overwhelming pace of Niki Lauda and his Ferrari 312T.

Although James Hunt won the title in a McLaren Ford in 1976 and Mario Andretti did the same in a Lotus Ford in 1978, the lead was only held until the early 1980s when Alan Jones (Williams), Nelson Piquet (Brabham) and Keke Rosberg (Williams) were the last champions with cars powered by the Americans.

The advent of turbochargers dethroned those Ford-Cosworth engines and progressively, V8s gradually disappeared. While Ford left F1 in the aforementioned 2004 championship, Cosworth held on until 2013 with the Marussia team.