Ford has announced that it will join Formula One as a way of increasing sales and reaching customers.  The announcement comes shortly after GM stated its plan to launch an F1 team. Ford will collaborate with the Red Bull F1 team to create hybrid-powered cars with both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. These cars will be compulsory by the 2026 racing season.  The U.S. automaker will replace Japanese car maker Honda as Red Bull's engine development partner. The company likely plans to capitalize on the momentum that F1 has created in terms of viewership in the U.S. Netflix's "Drive to Survive" series proved to be a turning point for the sport, which soared in popularity shortly after the series debuted. The show follows the racers and team managers, showing their day-to-day life and the way they approach every competition. Ford first entered the sport in 1968 with Lotus. The automaker remains the third most successful engine manufacturer of all time in the sport, after Ferrari and Mercedes, even though it left in 2004. Ford has 10 constructors' titles and 13 drivers' titles to its credit. The U.S. currently hosts three F1 races: Austin, Miami, and Las Vegas. The 2022 Miami Grand Prix was the most-watched F1 race in the U.S. ever, having attracted 2.583 million viewers. In addition to the overall viewership records, young people and female viewers watched the F1 2022 season more than ever before.