Red Bull Powertrains Explained

Red Bull Powertrains
Foundation:[1] [2]
Founders:Helmut Marko
Christian Horner[3]
Location:Milton Keynes, England
Key People:Christian Horner
Ben Hodgkinson
Red Bull Powertrains
Debut:2022 Bahrain Grand Prix
Final Race:2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Races: (starts)
Chassis:Red Bull Racing, AlphaTauri
Cons Champ:1
Drivers Champ:1

Red Bull Powertrains, abbreviated as RBPT, is a Formula One power unit manufacturing company owned by the Austrian Red Bull GmbH and based in the United Kingdom. The company was formed in to take over the operation of Formula One power units developed by Honda from onwards following the Japanese manufacturer's withdrawal from the sport after 2021. Honda continued to support the Red Bull-owned teams in 2022 and will do so until the end of 2025.[4] [5] [6] Honda assembles the power units and provides trackside and race operation support. The power units remain Honda's intellectual property, and due to a development freeze, Red Bull Powertrains will not develop them.[7] [8]

Red Bull Powertrains will take full responsibility for engine supply and operations from 2026, when the company will be renamed to Red Bull Ford Powertrains, following a partnership with Ford Motor Company.[9] [10] [11] Red Bull Powertrains operates in a 5,000-square-foot facility near to the Red Bull Racing chassis department in Milton Keynes.[12]

History

In February 2021, Red Bull Advanced Technologies signed an exclusive distribution agreement for Formula One engines with Honda to start in the 2022 season, after the Japanese automaker left Formula One at the end of the 2021 season.[13] The engines will be purchased and renamed Red Bull Powertrains, and supplied to its two teams currently competing in Formula One, Red Bull Racing and AlphaTauri, starting in 2022.[14]

On 23 April 2021 Red Bull Powertrains announced the hiring of Ben Hodgkinson as technical director.[15] [16] Hodgkinson had been head of mechanical engineering at Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains since 2017, and had worked at the Brixworth factory for 20 years.[17] [18] On 6 May 2021, Red Bull Racing announced the hiring of five more senior Mercedes engine employees: Steve Blewett (who will be the production director of the Red Bull power unit), Omid Mostaghimi (chief engine, electronics and energy recovery), Pip Clode (head of mechanical design for energy recovery), Anton Mayo (head of combustion power unit design) and Steve Brodie (leader of combustion engine operations).[19] [20] On 2 October 2022, Honda announced the extension of their technical support to Red Bull Racing until 2025. Honda's agreement with Red Bull Racing does not involve power unit development. Honda's logo will also appear on Red Bull Racing's and AlphaTauri's car from the 2022 Japanese Grand Prix onwards.[21]

On 4 February 2023, Red Bull Racing and Ford Motor Company announced a strategic partnership that will see Ford return to Formula One in 2026 following new engine regulations. Ford will provide "expertise in areas including battery cell and electric motor technology as well as power unit control software and analytics" and "combustion engine development," and the company will be renamed to "Red Bull Ford Powertrains."[22] [23]

RBPTH001

The RBPTH001 was, despite its name, developed, produced, and maintained by Honda. It was a derivative of the Honda RA621H, with different ignition timing, cylinder pressure, and MGU-H to account for the new E10 fuels. The crankshaft and cylinder block geometry were also modified to ensure reliability when running on E10 fuels, and a specialised coating developed by Honda's motorcycle division was applied to the walls of the cylinders. The injection system, exhaust, and the turbocharger's compressor and turbine were all optimised for E10 fuel. The changes meant that the RBPTH001 weighed more than the RA621H, but the dimensions of the engines are virtually identical save for the exhaust and intake layout and the electrical components. The new engine could also run at noticeably higher temperatures compared to the RA621H. Despite the reduced energy density of the 2022 fuels, the RBPTH001 had greater thermal efficiency than its predecessor.

Formula One engine results

YearEntrantChassisEngineDriversGrands PrixPointsWCC
BHRSAUAUSEMIMIAESPMONAZECANGBRAUTFRAHUNBELNEDITASINJPNUSAMXCSAPABU
Oracle Red Bull RacingRB18RBPTH001
1.6 V6 t		 Sergio Pérez7591st
Scuderia AlphaTauriAT03 Pierre Gasly359th
Yuki Tsunoda
Source:[24]
Notes

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2023-02-03 . Where Red Bull's Ford deal leaves Honda for F1 2026 . 2023-05-23 . The Race . en-GB.
  2. Web site: RED BULL POWERTRAINS LIMITED overview – Find and update company information – GOV.UK . 2024-02-12 . find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk . en.
  3. Web site: CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF A PRIVATE LIMITED COMPANY .
  4. Web site: 2 August 2022 . Honda and Red Bull extend power unit support deal until 2025 . www.formula1.com.
  5. Web site: 2 August 2022 . Honda to continue Red Bull technical support deal to the end of 2025 . BBC Sport.
  6. Web site: 2 August 2022 . Red Bull and Honda extend technical partnership until 2025 . ESPN.
  7. Web site: 7 October 2021. Red Bull agrees Honda engine IP use, reveals post-2021 plan. 14 December 2021. The Race. en-GB.
  8. Web site: 8 October 2021. Red Bull and Honda outline F1 collaboration plans from 2022. 2 August 2022. Motorsport.com. en-GB.
  9. Web site: 2023-02-03 . Ford announces F1 return in 2026 with Red Bull . 2023-02-03 . ESPN.com . en.
  10. Web site: 2023-02-03 . Ford announce new technical partnership with Red Bull for 2026 and beyond . 2023-02-03 . www.formula1.com . en.
  11. Web site: 2023-02-03 . Ford Partners With Red Bull in Return to Formula One . 2023-02-03 . The New York Times . en.
  12. Web site: 2022-09-30 . Red Bull Is Taking Control of its Power . 2022-09-30 . The New York Times . en.
  13. Web site: Pryson. Mike. 15 February 2021. Red Bull F1 Forms Powertrain Company, Will Keep Honda Technology. 14 December 2021. Autoweek. en-US.
  14. Web site: 7 October 2021. Red Bull and Honda reveal collaboration plans after engine supplier withdraws at end of 2021. 14 December 2021. www.formula1.com. en-US.
  15. Web site: Red Bull recruit senior engineer from championship rivals Mercedes. 23 April 2021. The Guardian. en.
  16. Web site: Red Bull hire Ben Hodgkinson from Mercedes to lead new powertrains division in sign of 'long-term intent'. 24 April 2021. Sky Sports. en.
  17. Web site: Mercedes engine head Hodgkinson to join Red Bull in May after teams agree release date. 21 January 2022. www.formula1.com. en.
  18. Web site: Red Bull, Mercedes reach agreement over F1 engine chief. 22 January 2022. Motorsport.com. en.
  19. Web site: 6 May 2021. Red Bull poach five key figures from Mercedes in technical shake-up. 14 December 2021. The Independent. en.
  20. Web site: 6 May 2021. Formula 1: Red Bull poach five Mercedes engineers for in-house engine facility. 14 December 2021. BBC Sport. en.
  21. Web site: 2022-10-05 . Honda logo to return to Red Bull and AlphaTauri cars from Japanese GP onwards Formula 1® . www.formula1.com . en.
  22. Web site: 2023-02-03 . Ford to rejoin Formula One from 2026 season in Red Bull partnership . 2023-02-03 . The Guardian . en.
  23. Web site: 2023-02-03 . Horner explains why Red Bull opted to partner with Ford instead of ‘incredible company’ Honda for 2026 . 2023-02-03 . www.formula1.com . en.
  24. Web site: RBPT – Grands Prix started . StatsF1 . 3 February 2023.

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