More car companies in F1? Two big brands are considering entering – Hyundai and Ford! So will we see new teams in Formula 1?

More car companies in the queen of motorsport? Two very well-known manufacturers – Ford and Hyundai – are considering entering Formula 1. However, the potential collaboration with F1 would probably only involve the production of powertrains, not entire new teams.

Slowly but surely, the time is approaching when car companies must announce their intention to enter Formula 1, whether as a powertrain supplier or otherwise.

Specifically, designers or engine manufacturers must confirm by 15 October that they will be involved in the development and building of entire power units from 2026. We currently have three car companies in Formula 1 that build engines for teams.

The factory teams are Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault. Earlier then Red Bull announced that their own Red Bull Powertrains factory will be in operation from 2026. And so they will build their own engines. And most recently, Audi has also confirmed its interest.

However, according to the latest speculation by the German site Auto Motor und Sport, the ranks of powertrain manufacturers could be expanded by two more big names – Ford and Hyundai. For both carmakers, however, the entry would be in 2027 rather than 2026.

The reason is quite simple. Entering Formula One is a huge step, with the deadline for the 2027 edition not until the end of June next year.

This would give both Korean and American manufacturers more time to think and plan, although Ford and Hyundai in particular already have plenty of experience with the motorsport environment. In fact, both brands are active, for example, in the WRC series.

Porsche was also very close to entering Formula 1, but subsequent negotiations with Red Bull fell through. In the end, the Austrian team decided to withdraw from the potential cooperation with Porsche, and the reason was quite simple.

Entering Formula 1 is not easy and it simply requires car companies and large corporations to keep an open mind. And to actually behave in a completely different way to what they have been used to.

Whether it was Toyota, BMW or Honda that had teams in Formula One, they all had one thing in common. Bureaucratic processes that made it impossible for these car companies to fully adapt to the needs of perhaps the most demanding sport in the world.

And which in turn suffered from the lack of agility in F1 that makes Red Bull such a strong team. And this is the key point as to why Red Bull eventually broke off all negotiations with Porsche.

F1, Auto Motor und Sport