Horse Powertrain and Sports & Racing Brazil (SRB) have announced a partnership to co-develop and supply competition engines for a new pickup truck category in Brazilian motorsport.
Set to debut in the 2027 season, races in this new multi-brand category will take place on both asphalt and dirt tracks, offering fresh experiences and challenges for teams and motorsport fans in Brazil.
The vehicles will feature a standardized chassis and an engine produced by Horse Powertrain. SRB and Horse Powertrain plan to unveil the first vehicles in 2026 after completing testing, including an exhibition race with manufacturers and teams.
The initial line-up will be equipped with a variant of the Horse H13 engine. The turbocharged, four-cylinder, 1.3-liter engine is designed to operate with flex-fuel technology, common in Brazil, and incorporates cutting-edge innovations to maximize performance and reliability. The ethanol-based category delivers a low well-to-wheel carbon cycle, reducing CO₂ emissions by 70% compared to fossil fuels and lowering motorsport’s environmental footprint.
Featuring a Delta-shaped cylinder head and integrated exhaust manifold, the Horse H13 is compact, lightweight and has a low center of gravity. Combined with other advances – including sophisticated electronics to control the turbo wastegate and exhaust valve, as well as an exclusive direct injection system – the Horse H13 delivers high power and torque with excellent fuel efficiency.
The Horse H13 engines used in the new category will be produced at Horse Powertrain’s plant in Curitiba, Brazil, part of the Horse Technologies division.
Thiago Marques, CEO of SRB, commented, “This project was born to meet a real demand for a pickup truck racing category in Brazil, reflecting the continuous growth of this segment in the market. Our goal is to create a new and engaging category for manufacturers, teams and fans, and our partnership with Horse Powertrain will be key to achieving this mission.”
Patrice Haettel, CEO of Horse Technologies, added, “For Horse Powertrain, entering Brazilian motorsport is a clear demonstration of who we are and what we can offer. Competition is the perfect environment to test technology, reliability and performance, and doing so alongside SRB allows us to showcase the full capability of our Horse H13 engine — produced right here in Brazil. This partnership combines two values we fully share: innovation and competitive spirit. Motorsport is a real and demanding laboratory, and we are proud to see the Horse H13, manufactured locally, take center stage.”
In related news, Yasa unveils record-setting motor at core of in-wheel EV powertrain