Red Bull RB22: Throwback blue livery for Max Verstappen to drive in 2026 F1 season revealed at launch event in Detroit | F1 News

Red Bull has unveiled the blue wraps for the 2026 Formula 1 season as the team ushers in the new era at their launch event in Detroit.

Red Bull and junior team Racing Bulls were the first teams to unveil their 2026 looks as they celebrated their new engine season at the Detroit headquarters of Ford partners on Thursday night.

For the first time since joining the Formula 1 grid in 2005, Red Bull is developing its own engine – in partnership with American car giant Ford – to comply with the introduction of new regulations for both power units and chassis.

Max Verstappen was there as he prepared to try to regain the drivers’ title, after his streak of consecutive world championships was ended by McLaren’s Lando Norris last year.

Verstappen has another new team-mate, with 21-year-old Frenchman Isack Hadjar promoted following an impressive rookie campaign with the Racing Bulls.

Red Bull said the release of the RB22 marks “a return to the glossy finish first seen when the team debuted in 2005.”

The team’s statement continued: “Formula 1 is about to enter a new era, as the technical rules of the sport are changing seismically. This is also a clear moment for Oracle Red Bull Racing, because the opening round of the season in Melbourne will mark the first official race of Red Bull Ford Powertrains, as the team is now building both the roof and the power unit for the first time.

“To acknowledge this bold move, the RB22 will wear a livery inspired by Red Bull’s original look in F1. It feels like classic Red Bull Racing, with a sharp display, a sharp contrast under the lights and making the precious elements of the new livery feel rich and expensive at speed.”

Mekies: We are about to follow

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies begins his first full campaign in charge of the team after replacing Christian Horner in July last year.

The Frenchman admits that he does not expect the team to start the season in contention for victory as they are used to facing the challenges of producing their engine.

Speaking before the launch, he said Sky Sports News: “We know there will be some difficulties. We know we will have a few insomnias and a few headaches, but please bear with us for the first few months.

“No one underestimates the size of the mountain that we have to climb. It is a challenge that we all want to be matched with, I hope that in the end we will come out on top.

“I think it would be foolish, to say the least, to think that yes, we’ve done everything from scratch – with a lot of support from Ford – and then we get to the first race and we’re on the same level as people who have been doing it for years.

“It won’t be. We will follow them, we will enter a period of incredibly high development, both on the chassis side and on the powertrain side.

“We believe in our people, so the fact that we’ve put together what we believe is a very strong team with extremely strong partners.”

Red Bull struggled to compete with constructors’ champion McLaren in the 2025 season, but made a strong finish as Verstappen won the last of six grands prix to finish the season just two points clear of Norris.

“You saw last year during the season that since it was the last year of the regulations, you could still see how much the team could do throughout the season by improving,” he said.

“Okay, so take that in 2026 three or four times in terms of development, certainly for us in terms of how much we have to learn. So we’re taking it step by step but with his appropriate level of aggression.”

A new era for Red Bull

Not only is Red Bull producing their own engine, but they are also starting the season without Horner or Dr Helmut Marko for the first time since they joined the grid in 2005.

Horner was demoted from his role as principal and chief executive in July amid a slump in form and, more importantly, unrest off the track amid a struggle to control the Milton Keynes outfit.

Horner’s exit initially appeared to be a good sign for Red Bull motorsport consultant Marko, but the Austrian was once again shown the exit door at the end of the 2025 season.

Mekies has appeared to make an immediate impact on and off the track, helping to oversee Verstappen’s rise to the title race and quieting some of the noise in the team in a way that reflects the divisiveness of his predecessor.

Although legendary designer Adrian Newey’s exit from Red Bull was confirmed in May 2024, this will be the first car to be produced without his involvement.

Given the huge amount of unknowns going into the new season, it would be a huge achievement for Red Bull to be anywhere near the title fight.

The problem facing the team if they can’t compete at the sharp end is Verstappen, and whether he can be confident that the good times will return soon and wait for them.

When is F1 pre-season testing?

The introduction of the new rules means there is a tight schedule of three separate test events before the start of the 2026 season.

The first is a closed event in Barcelona from January 26-30, before two tests follow in Bahrain from February 11-13 and 18-20.

When is the first F1 race?

The teams then have two weeks to prepare for the opening round of the season, which is the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne from March 6-8.

The first practice sessions of the season will take place on Friday 6 March, with Qualifying on Saturday 7 March and the opening race on Sunday 8 March.

Watch all 24 race weekends of the 2026 Formula 1 season live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports NOW – No contract, cancel anytime