Red Bull are reportedly expected to strike a deal with American motor giant Ford ahead of the launch of their 2023 car in New York on Friday.
The reigning champions were last summer in talks with Porsche about a potential partnership but negotiations broke down. Yet now The Mirror report that Ford Motor Company are set to sign a deal with Christian Horner’s team, with the American company sending social media influencers to the launch of the RB19 on Friday when a deal could be formally announced
Elsewhere, new Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has told Charles Leclerc he will not start the season as his No 1 driver. Following Mattia Binotto’s resignation, Frenchman Vassuer, 54, has been charged with ending Ferrari’s championship drought which stretches back to Kimi Raikkonen’s title triumph in 2007.
Leclerc, 25, started last year as a real contender to beat Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, but his challenge faded away through a litany of mechanical and strategic mistakes. Leclerc is viewed within Ferrari as the man most likely to lead the team’s charge, but Vassuer insists he will not be awarded preferential treatment over team-mate Carlos Sainz.
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