Red Bull Unveil RB22 in Detroit
Red Bull Racing becomes the first team to reveal 2026 colours, staging an elaborate RB22 livery launch with Ford at Detroit's Michigan Central Station.
Red Bull Racing revealed the livery for their 2026 challenger at an event in Detroit on Thursday, partnering with Ford for the launch.
The RB22 design incorporates significant blue elements reflecting the American manufacturer's involvement as power unit partner from this season. The familiar dark navy base remains, but the Ford branding dominates the engine cover and rear wing.
Max Verstappen, Liam Lawson, and junior driver Arvid Lindblad attended the launch at Michigan Central Station. Racing Bulls unveiled their sister livery simultaneously, with Isack Hadjar present.
The reveal featured a Red Bull aerobatics display piloted by Martin Sonka, who performed formation flying above the venue. Ford executives emphasized the partnership represents their return to F1 as a full works entrant.
Christian Horner, team principal, declined to discuss recent speculation regarding ownership structure changes. Technical director Pierre Wache noted the 2026 regulations present the biggest engineering challenge of his career.
The RB22 will run at Barcelona shakedown next week alongside rivals. Pre-season testing proper begins in Bahrain on February 24.
Why Detroit was a statement
Launching in Detroit underscored the importance of the Ford partnership and the North American market. Red Bull used the event to anchor a fresh identity around the new power unit era, signaling that the brand intends to keep its global marketing momentum while entering a more complex technical phase.
What to watch next
Attention will shift to how the RB22 behaves over longer runs and how Ford integration affects packaging. Any early reliability or deployment issues will be critical data points as the team prepares for the Bahrain test and the season opener.
Another storyline is how Racing Bulls aligns its design language with the main team. The sister squad can reveal clues about shared philosophy, especially around cooling and aero packaging in the new power unit era.
Sources
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