Siemens Powers Up Red Bull’s Powertrain Development

Red Bull Ford Powertrains is using Siemens Xcelerator software to create a new hybrid internal combustion engine (ICE) and electric power unit (PU) for the 2026 Formula One season.

For 2026, Red Bull Ford Powertrains will supply these new power units to both Oracle Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Alpha Tauri F1 teams, making them one of only six manufacturers providing power units for the F1 series.

Since its announcement in 2021, Red Bull Ford Powertrains has aimed to build 2026-specification sustainable high-speed power units from scratch, in line with the new F1 rules. As a newcomer, they face the challenge of designing every component without historical data, a task made even more difficult in the confidential world of powertrain development.

Ben Hodgkinson, Technical Director at Red Bull Powertrains, said, “Siemens Xcelerator is the backbone of our design and manufacturing process, allowing us to manage numerous rapid design changes across a large team, ensuring everyone stays informed about their colleagues’ work.”

The team uses Siemens’ NX software for product engineering and Teamcenter software for product lifecycle management. They also employ Siemens’ Simcenter Star-CCM+ software for design and validation simulations.

Hodgkinson noted, “Without historical data, every component has to be modeled from scratch. The ease of use and design quality of Siemens’ NX, along with the collaboration and lifecycle management provided by Teamcenter, are crucial to our success.”

Robert Jones, Executive Vice President at Siemens Digital Industries Software, added, “The motorsport industry is pushing for a more sustainable future, requiring new approaches in development. Using Siemens Xcelerator, we help motorsport partners discover, invent, and deliver cleaner solutions faster than ever. We’re excited to support Red Bull Ford Powertrains in their mission to enhance sustainability in motorsport and meet the 2026 requirements for fossil carbon-free performance, increased electric power use, and energy recovery.”