Ford Racing's Dakar Truck Leaps Over Red Bull F1 Car in San Francisco Spectacle

Ford Racing and Red Bull teamed up for a dramatic stunt in San Francisco, launching a Dakar-spec Raptor T1+ truck over a classic RB7 Formula 1 car as part of a promotional showrun. The event, headlined by Yuki Tsunoda, drew tens of thousands of fans but was marred by a car fire involving the AlphaTauri reserve driver, who escaped unharmed from his burning demonstration car.

Why it matters:

These high-profile showruns are critical for engaging American fans and showcasing the Red Bull-Ford partnership ahead of their official 2026 engine collaboration. While spectacular marketing, the incident with Tsunoda's car underscores the inherent risks of running complex machinery in tight, non-track environments, even during demonstration runs.

The details:

• The stunt featured Mitch Guthrie Jr. driving the rally-raid prototype up San Francisco's steep Broadway hill at about 45mph before hitting a ramp, sending the truck airborne.
• Former F1 driver Scott Speed piloted the 2011 championship-winning RB7 underneath the arc of the jumping truck.
• The free public event shut down streets and attracted a massive crowd, serving as a key marketing moment for the "Red Bull Showrun presented by Ford Racing" series.
• Safety Incident: Following the main stunt, a demonstration car driven by Yuki Tsunoda caught fire. The VCARB reserve driver quickly evacuated the 2011-era chassis without injury, though footage of the fire spread rapidly online.

What's next:

With the San Francisco event concluded, both Red Bull and Ford Racing will now fully focus on the start of the 2026 Formula 1 season. The competitive spotlight shifts to the track for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 8, where their technical partnership will face its first real-world test.