Red Bull and Racing Bulls have lifted the covers off their 2026 Formula 1 challengers at a joint launch event at Michigan Central Station, marking the beginning of their new power unit partnership with Ford.
The Milton Keynes-based outfit revealed the RB22 with a dramatic stunt featuring pilot Martin Sonka, whose plane tore the sheet off the car. The new design returns to the gloss finish used during the team’s 2005 debut and features a “heritage white base” intended to highlight the team’s iconic sun and bull logo.
2026 livery, cleared for takeoff ✈️#F1 || #GivesYouWiiings pic.twitter.com/PKRVe9SZOi
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) January 16, 2026
Max Verstappen returns to lead the charge after a third-place finish for the team in the 2025 constructors’ standings. The four-time world champion will race with the number 3 this season, switching from his long-standing number 33. He is joined by Isack Hadjar, who has been promoted from the sister team and will retain the number 6.
Laurent Mekies enters his first full season as team principal after replacing Christian Horner midway through last year, with Pierre Wache heading the technical department.
Sister team Racing Bulls (VCARB) also showcased their 2026 look, opting to retain a predominantly white livery following its popularity in 2025. The design incorporates blue accents along the chassis contours to signify the Ford alliance.
Drivers Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad presented the car to 1,500 guests. Lindblad serves as the grid’s only rookie for the upcoming season.
“2026 represents one of the biggest technical changes Formula 1 has seen,” Racing Bulls Team Principal Alan Permane said. “The Red Bull Ford Powertrains project brings together world-class engineering, innovation and racing DNA.”
Both teams will be powered by the new Red Bull Ford Powertrains unit as the sport enters a new regulatory era.
