Later this month, the Red Bull teams will try out their brand-new, in-house engine for the first time. Even though the Barcelona winter test won't be open to the public, it's still a key test for Ford and Red Bull.

Ford Performance director Mark Rushbrook said the test will show if the last three years of work were worth it in making a top-notch engine.

Ford's New Plan: More Focus on Gas Engines

Over the years, Ford's role behind the scenes has grown bigger than first planned.

In early talks, led by Christian Horner for Red Bull, Ford was going to help with the electric parts and give money to the project. Since then, it's grown to include 3D printing and more, according to Rushbrook.

The initial plan was on the electric side: the battery, motor, inverter, software, and calibration. "We've done that," Rushbrook told Motorsport.com.

But what we didn't expect, and wasn't our main focus, was the gas engine. That changed as our car plans changed.

With Ford Motor Company's bigger plan, the F1 project with Red Bull Powertrains changed a bit.

Our car plans will still have gas engines, hybrids, and fully electric cars. So, it got more important for us to help with the gas engine too.

Ford wants to use what they learn from F1's gas engines in their road cars, which wasn't the plan at first with Red Bull.

As we worked on the electric side and saw the gas engine work, we saw a chance to get involved. A lot of parts made in Dearborn, Michigan, USA, are now for the gas engine. These parts are made and shipped every day.

Rushbrook said that Ford's bigger role in the gas engine doesn't mean Red Bull Powertrains wasn't good enough on its own.

It's not that they were lacking, but when smart people work together, they share ideas. They ask, 'What would Ford do?' That's where we could help.

What Does F1 Offer Ford?

Rushbrook thinks the project has gotten better with this approach, and it's made F1 more important for Ford.

On the electric side, like the battery chemistry, we helped and learned a lot. The software and calibration are where we've helped the most from our past work.

But for the gas engine, there's the design, making the parts, 3D printing, and more. It's pushed us to a new level. The people, the quality control—it's all better.

Will Ford Stay in F1 Longer?

Ford's ongoing production of gas-powered cars is tied to F1's future value.

Talks about the engine rules after the current cycle started in 2025. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem first wanted a V10 but then changed it to a V8 with electric help.

If Ford keeps making gas engines, is that enough, or do they want to stay in F1 past 2030?

We know our plans. We'll have gas engines, hybrids, and fully electric cars for a while, especially since global rules are now more local. We want to race to help our innovation and tech.

Because Ford now works with all kinds of engines for their cars, they're open to F1's future.

We're okay with different balances of gas engines, hybrids, and full electric. As long as it's useful to us, we're happy. Rushbrook added.

We know there's give and take in racing. We have a lot of room for that. What's being talked about now is okay with us.

When asked if that includes a V8 with some electric power, Rushbrook said, Yes.

This makes a longer partnership with Red Bull after the current cycle a real idea, as Ford has said the investments are for the long haul.

Lewis Hamilton has clinched world titles thanks to his speed, skill, and nerves of steel. Now at 40, he's facing a different kind of challenge: Father Time, muscle stiffness, and the wear and tear that come with two decades in Formula 1.

His secret weapon? Discipline. And, most painfully, ice.

As he begins his 20th F1 season—his second with Ferrari—the seven-time world champ speaks openly about how his physical routine has changed as he's gotten older, moving from fitness that came naturally to a far more planned approach.

The goal is simple: remain competitive in a sport that's tough on those past their prime.

"It's changed, developed, and grown," Hamilton told Men's Health.

Once optional things are now must-dos. What he once skipped is now scheduled. And the thing that hurts the most is what he refuses to give up.

Morning Runs and Cold Plunges

Hamilton doesn't train like a carefree twenty-something anymore. Now, every morning starts the same way—and it's not with a stopwatch.

I still love to run—I ran this morning. I go for runs that vary from six to eight miles. Then I take an ice bath. But before any of that, stretching is the first thing I do when I get out of bed.

The order is important. Stretch first. Run next. Freeze later. It's a routine that helps keep his muscles loose, his weight in check, and recovery a priority—something Hamilton admits he used to ignore.

When his schedule allows, his afternoons are less about intense workouts and more about control.

In the afternoon, I might do a HIIT workout, but I can't lift too many weights because I get too heavy. So it's mostly Pilates and yoga.

It's very different from his early years, when natural fitness and youth carried him. Now, lasting power is carefully built.

Even with a schedule that goes beyond racing—fashion, music, advocacy—Hamilton insists on certain training boundaries. When asked what he refuses to skip, his answer was quick.

Ice baths. Recovery is something I didn't focus on much in the past. "I would just do the workout and then go on with my day," he said.

So stretching and ice baths—those are the two things that I make myself do.

Make is the right word. He doesn't enjoy ice baths; he just deals with them. But Hamilton thinks the discomfort is the point.

Training the Mind, Too

For Hamilton, physical preparation easily turns into mental strength – a key advantage during a long 24-race season.

When I was younger, I think training was really my therapy—and in some ways it still is, especially the runs, Hamilton said. That's when I do most of my thinking.

Over time, he has added to his mental tools.

Adding things like yoga, like breathwork. Breathwork has probably been the hardest to get into because it takes time. Then meditation.

Even the ice bath helps here—not just as recovery, but as practice.

I think the ice bath helps with that, too, because you have to learn to breathe and fight the urge to give up and get out. Those things really help me stay positive throughout the year.

In a sport focused on lap times and data, Hamilton's routine offers a unique look at how to be the best.

At 40, and now with Ferrari, the seven-time world champion is still looking for small improvements—one stretch, one breath, one cold plunge at a time.