"Jesus this will age so badly": Fans react to Red Bull power unit partner's bold claim about entering F1

F1 Grand Prix of Miami
Christian Horner shakes hands with Jim Farley on the grid during the 2023 F1 Miami Grand Prix. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

Ford CEO Jim Farley recently made a bold statement that Red Bull and their Ford-partnered power units will once again sit at the top of podiums in 2026 and beyond. The Austrian-British team will be making their very own engines and has partnered with Ford to help them do so starting in 2026.

Speaking to Autosport, Farley praised the team working on the power unit at Milton-Keynes and also claimed that Ford's best technicians are working in tandem with Red Bull. He later claimed that the team would be at the top of the podium in 2026.

“We have got the best frickin' team that's involved,” he said. “I mean, we’ve got the best drivers, we’ve got the best technical support. We have the best of Ford around the globe to support them. But the team, the powertrain team that they're building in Milton Keynes, is like absolutely, top notch. We're going first class to the very top of the podium.”

As soon as these comments were released on social media, many F1 fans jumped and reacted to it. Many speculated how Jim Farley would jinx the current good run Red Bull is enjoying and that this statement would age badly. Others also discussed how the statement was just for marketing their entry in F1, and that Ford could fail since they have not been in the sport for quite some time now.

Here are some of the reactions from F1 fans:

"Jesus this will age so badly."
"Marketing exercise."

There is no Plan B for Red Bull if their power unit with Ford fails, claims team senior

Red Bull senior Helmut Marko claims that the team does not have a Plan B power unit if their own with Ford does not work. Speaking to OE24, he initially claimed that the power unit development back at the Milton-Keynes factory is progressing as planned:

"Even though we are still a long way from being able to compete competitively, everything is going according to plan and the performance curve is right."

When asked about a second option of power units with Honda if their own fails, he simply denied it and said that their own power unit has to work.

"No, it has to work. From 2026 we will drive with our own engine. Until then, we want the best possible performance potential from Honda, which has worked well so far. Honda was my deal, so I will continue to look after it," he said.

Red Bull announced their partnership with Ford at the start of the 2023 F1 season. The American giant will essentially help the Austrian-British team build the new power units.

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