ford v ferrari: Red Bull Ford Powertrains sets the engine pace as Ferrari chases Mercedes
Autosport reports that Red Bull Ford Powertrains has been deemed to have the leading V6 combustion engine in Formula 1. That is the current answer to the ford v ferrari search: Ford’s name is now attached to the benchmark power-unit project, while Ferrari is trying to close the gap on track.
Ferrari sits second in the 2026 constructors’ standings on 255 points, behind Mercedes on 333, according to the official Formula 1 standings. In the drivers’ fight, Lewis Hamilton is third on 147 points with one win and Charles Leclerc is fourth on 108 with one win, which keeps Ferrari very much in the title conversation.
| Entity | Ford/Ferrari link | 2026 F1 role | verified status from reporting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Bull Ford Powertrains | Ford’s name is attached to the power-unit project | Engine benchmark in the 2026 field | Autosport reports it has the leading V6 combustion engine |
| Ferrari | Ferrari is the counterweight in the modern ford v ferrari story | Works engine supplier and title contender | The Race reports it is set for additional engine help |
| Mercedes | Ferrari’s direct target on track | Championship leader and rival | The Race reports it also looks set for extra engine upgrades |
Why the engine ruling matters now
The significance of Red Bull Ford Powertrains being judged best on the V6 combustion side is immediate: it puts Ford’s badge at the centre of the 2026 engine conversation. The Race reports that Ferrari and Mercedes were granted or look set for additional engine upgrade help this season and next after Red Bull’s engine was judged the best.
That changes the pressure on Ferrari in two directions. It has to keep improving the car while also protecting the credibility of its power-unit programme, because the benchmark has now been set by a project carrying Ford’s name.
Ferrari’s response is already on the car
Ferrari’s answer has not been limited to the engine. The team introduced major aerodynamic upgrades in Barcelona after its previous major package arrived in Miami in early May, showing that the response is happening on both sides of the garage.
There is also a clear performance link to Hamilton. Ferrari beat Mercedes for the first time in the 2026 season two weeks before the Austria practice report, and that coverage highlighted Hamilton’s final-stint pace as part of the reason the result mattered.
Austria then showed how much work remains. Ferrari was described as far away from repeating its Barcelona level in practice, which is why the next step matters so much before Spa.
Why Ferrari’s engine footprint still matters
Ferrari’s wider role in 2026 goes beyond its factory team. It supplies Haas and Cadillac as customer teams after Sauber became the Audi factory team, so its engine programme still reaches across the grid.
That makes the current fight bigger than one upgrade cycle. Ferrari is trying to defend its place in the championship while Ford’s name is tied to the engine benchmark through Red Bull Ford Powertrains.
Live championship context
| Position | Driver | Team | Points | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 179 | 5 |
| 2 | George Russell | Mercedes | 154 | 0 |
| 3 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 147 | 1 |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 108 | 1 |
Antonelli’s points total underlines the scale of Ferrari’s chase in both championships. Hamilton and Leclerc have each won once, but Ferrari still trails Mercedes and needs more than isolated strong weekends to close the gap.
The next race is the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps on July 19, 2026, according to Formula1.com. That is where Ferrari’s Barcelona step, its Austria warning and the broader engine-upgrade picture meet again under race conditions.
2026 constructors fight
| Position | Constructor | Points | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercedes | 333 | 5 |
| 2 | Ferrari | 255 | 2 |
| 3 | McLaren | 106 | 1 |
Ferrari remains second on 255 points and heads to Spa trying to turn FIA-approved engine help and recent aerodynamic upgrades into a real challenge to Mercedes. Red Bull is central to the story through Red Bull Ford Powertrains, which Autosport says has the leading V6 combustion engine in the field.