Red Bull Unveils 2026 Throwback Livery with Ford Power Unit Debut

Red Bull has returned to its roots with a gloss blue throwback livery for the 2026 season, revealed at Ford’s Detroit headquarters. This launch marks a historic shift as the team debuts its own Red Bull Ford Powertrains engine under new technical regulations, moving away from customer power units for the first time since 2005.

Why it matters:

This is a defining moment for the team. Building both the chassis and power unit in-house is a massive undertaking that coincides with a leadership overhaul following the departures of Christian Horner, Helmut Marko, and Adrian Newey. Success here validates Red Bull's status as a full-fledged manufacturer, but failure risks losing Max Verstappen as he eyes a return to title contention.

The details:

• The Look: The RB22 livery features a gloss finish reminiscent of the team's 2005 debut, designed to sharpen reflections and contrast under floodlights.
• Lineup: Max Verstappen is joined by 21-year-old rookie Isack Hadjar, who steps up from Racing Bulls after an impressive debut season.
• Reality Check: New Team Principal Laurent Mekies is managing expectations, admitting the team will likely be "trailing" established manufacturers like Mercedes and Ferrari early on.
• Development: The team anticipates an incredibly high development rate throughout the season as they learn to optimize the new power unit.

What's next:

Pre-season testing begins in late January with a closed session in Barcelona, followed by two tests in Bahrain. The real test arrives in Melbourne for the season opener, where Red Bull hopes their ambitious gamble starts to pay off.