Ford returns to Formula 1 with Red Bull Racing and launches a storytelling ad campaign on Apple TV linking racing innovation to consumer vehicles.
Ford Motor Company is returning to Formula 1 this weekend after more than two decades, partnering with Oracle Red Bull Racing as the automaker expands its global “Ready Set Ford” marketing campaign.
Rather than relying solely on traditional commercials, Ford plans to use Apple TV’s sequential advertising technology to turn race broadcast ad breaks into a short-form narrative series. The campaign will connect the engineering behind Formula 1 race cars with the technology used in Ford vehicles sold to consumers.
“We’re using Formula 1 on Apple TV to show how research and development in the most demanding racing environments translates to the vehicles people drive every day,” said Michael Cope, senior director of Ford consumer marketing, during a press briefing about the campaign.
According to Ford, the initiative is designed to highlight links between the company’s motorsports engineering and models such as the F-150 Raptor, Bronco Raptor and a forthcoming electric truck.
Also Read: AI Isn’t Killing PR. Bad Measurement Is.
Racing Technology Meets Consumer Marketing
The campaign operates under the platform “Every Ground Is Our Proving Ground.” Its centerpiece is a 30-second advertisement that blends slow-motion and real-time footage to draw parallels between extreme racing conditions and the performance of Ford’s consumer vehicles.
Additional creative assets include:
- A 30-second spot highlighting Ford’s history in off-road racing
- A 15-second ad explaining the engineering of Formula 1 components
- A 15-second ad connecting that technology to the F-150 Raptor
Ford executives say the approach reflects a broader shift in advertising strategy.
“Standard commercials aren’t cutting it,” Cope said. “We want to use this broadcast environment to tell a deeper technology story and demonstrate how that innovation translates to production vehicles.”
Formula 1’s Growing Marketing Appeal
Ford’s return to the Formula 1 grid comes amid a surge of commercial interest in the sport. Global brands including PepsiCo, Heineken, Lenovo and Celsius have increased their presence as viewership has grown in key markets.
As part of its partnership with Oracle Red Bull Racing, Ford will also serve as the title sponsor for practice sessions and qualifying races throughout the season.
Running ads on Apple TV — the exclusive Formula 1 broadcast partner in the United States — allows Ford to deploy targeted messaging aimed at different audiences, from dedicated F1 fans to consumers actively considering a vehicle purchase.
Sequential ad placements will allow the company to tell a layered story during race broadcasts.
“The first 30-second piece can introduce the idea,” Cope said. “Then the next ad can go deeper into the engineering required to compete at the highest level.”
Also Read: Part 3: Authority, Not Attention, Wins in 2026
A Broader Global Campaign
Ford introduced the “Ready Set Ford” platform in September 2025, marking the company’s first unified global marketing campaign in more than 15 years. The initiative followed the U.S.-focused “Built Ford Proud” tagline launched in 2018.
The Formula 1 effort is intended to reinforce the campaign’s focus on three core audiences: builders, adventurers and thrill-seekers.
“The premise is that true capability is proven in extreme environments,” Cope said. “That idea connects directly to the vehicles we build.”
Beyond Apple TV, the Formula 1 campaign will run across multiple channels, including social media, digital advertising, out-of-home placements, connected TV and traditional television.
Ford executives describe the strategy as a full-funnel marketing approach designed to deliver consistent messaging across more than a dozen media channels.
“It’s a flywheel,” Cope said. “Each channel communicates the same message — just in slightly different ways.”
