Jan 16 (Reuters) - Red Bull ‌have dismissed talk of their Formula One partnership with Ford being merely a ‌branding exercise for the car giant as the team prepare to race with their ‌own engine for the first time.

Dan Towriss, chief executive of the new General Motors-backed Cadillac team, was recently quoted in the media as saying Ford's association with former champions Red Bull was "a marketing deal with very minimal impact".