Red Bull Racing switched to Honda engines for the 2019 season when it ended a 12-year partnership with Renault. Even though Honda left Formula 1 after the 2021 championship, the turbocharged 1.6-liter V-6 powering the RB21 this year still uses a Honda-developed engine. Over the years, F1 driver Max Verstappen has appeared in various commercials promoting production cars, including the Civic Type R.
But from 2026 until at least 2030, RBR will use a new powertrain co-developed with Ford. The four-time F1 champion is already starring in a loosely veiled ad for the Blue Oval. Riding shotgun in an RS200 driven by journalist Chris Harris before hopping behind the wheel of a Mustang GTD, the Flying Dutchman didn’t hold back on his feelings about front-wheel-drive cars: “I think it’s really boring. For me, it’s like anti-driving. I drove sometimes in the simulator. It’s like the worst thing ever.”
As you can imagine, Verstappen didn’t conveniently forget he used to promote the CTR not that many years ago. Still the fastest front-wheel-drive production car around the Nürburgring, Honda’s hot hatch is generally regarded as one of the most enjoyable FWD cars. Nevertheless, it’s perfectly understandable why Red Bull’s driver gravitates toward RWD.
It’s not just because the Mustang GTD sends its V-8 power to the rear axle, as contractual obligations take precedence. Much like when Verstappen endorsed a rear-wheel-drive Honda by starring in an ad for the electric city car, calling it “fun to drive” and a “great electric urban vehicle.” It wouldn’t be fair to criticize Verstappen, given it was part of the job to say positive things about the CTR and other Honda products.
While CTR and GTI fans might take offense at his statement, at the end of the day, it’s all about personal preferences. Don’t bring out the pitchforks just yet. Ford itself is no stranger to performance front-wheel-drive cars either, although the days of the Fiesta ST are over, and the Focus ST is only months away from retirement. Had those cars still been around, it’s easy to imagine Verstappen thrashing either hot hatch with a big smile on his face in an official ad.
Source:
Ford Performance / YouTube