Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division said its metrology systems helped Red Bull Ford Powertrains develop and produce its first-ever in-house powertrain — a 1.6-liter V6 turbo hybrid, built to meet the sport’s next era of technical requirements. The company said the technology is being used across manufacturing, testing and assembly to hit the extremely tight tolerances needed for high-performance components.

The 2026 changes require every car to be redesigned, with a greater reliance on electrical energy and major aerodynamic updates that reduce downforce. That shift creates new performance demands for the power unit and raises the stakes for precision throughout development.

Red Bull made the decision in 2021 to build its own powertrain operation from scratch at its UK technology campus, later bringing Ford Racing on as a technical partner in 2023. While Red Bull Ford Powertrains is responsible for the engine, Oracle Red Bull Racing remains responsible for producing the chassis and making the changes needed for compliance in 2026.

Hexagon said its coordinate measuring machines, 3D laser scanners and software have helped speed up inspection and testing from early R&D through prototyping, test-rig work and production. The company said its systems have been used to repeatedly measure thousands of moving engine components, helping the team meet sub-micron tolerances during development.

Among the tools cited in the release are Hexagon’s Leitz PMM-C Precision CMM and the Leica Absolute Scanner AS1, which is used with an Absolute Arm to scan outer surfaces of crankcases and Energy Recovery System installations for quality control.

“Hexagon’s shared passion for extreme accuracy and performance has been vital to this ambitious project,” Ben Hodgkinson, technical director at Red Bull Ford Powertrains, said in a statement. He said Hexagon’s metrology expertise has helped the team meet the tolerances and quality levels required for a power unit designed from the ground up.

Hexagon said it has also helped integrate inspection data and updated 3D models into engineering workflows, with measurement data captured in QUINDOS and, when needed, transferred to Q-DAS for statistical trend analysis. The company said the setup enables CNC monitoring and corrective feedback so parts can be manufactured right the first time.

Beyond the engine program, Hexagon said its support spans the full car including portable metrology tools and trackside measurement used to support ongoing aerodynamic refinements. With about 30,000 design changes in a season, the team relies on scanning and digitalization tools to keep pace. Hexagon said Oracle Red Bull Racing previously reduced faults by 50% over 24 months using its technology.

Emanuel Viklund, president of Hexagon’s portable metrology division, said the partnership is focused on helping the team maintain precision under constant pressure, where “there is always a new challenge to tackle, a fraction of a second to gain and an opportunity to refine the car.”

Hexagon said the same measurement accuracy that supports performance also helps Red Bull Ford Powertrains stay within the engine cost cap imposed under this year’s regulations, a reminder that in modern motorsports, manufacturing discipline can matter as much as speed.