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

Red Bull revealed a throwback blue livery for the 2026 Formula 1 season as the team ushered in a new era at their launch event in Detroit.

Red Bull and junior squad Racing Bulls became the first teams to launch their 2026 looks as they celebrated their new engine era at the Detroit headquarters of partners Ford on Thursday night.

For the first time since joining the Formula 1 grid in 2005, Red Bull are manufacturing their own engine - in collaboration with US car giant Ford - to coincide with the introduction of new regulations for both power units and chassis.

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Max Verstappen was in attendance as he prepares to attempt to regain the drivers' title, having had his streak of four successive world championships ended by McLaren's Lando Norris last year.

Verstappen has another new team-mate, with French 21-year-old Isack Hadjar having been promoted following a hugely impressive rookie campaign with Racing Bulls.

Red Bull said the RB22's livery marks "a return to the gloss finish first seen when the team made its debut back in 2005."

A team statement continued: "Formula 1 is about to enter a new era, as the sport's technical regulations undergo a seismic change. This is also a defining moment for Oracle Red Bull Racing, because the opening round of the season in Melbourne will mark the official race debut of Red Bull Ford Powertrains, as the team now builds both car and power unit under the same roof for the very first time.

"To acknowledge this bold move, the RB22 will wear a livery inspired by Red Bull's original look in F1. It harks back to a more classic Red Bull Racing presence, sharpening reflections, boosting contrast under the lights and making heritage elements of the new livery feel richer and more premium at speed."

Mekies: We are going to be trailing

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies is embarking on his first full campaign at the helm of the team after replacing Christian Horner in July last year.

The Frenchman admits that he doesn't expect the team to start the season in contention for victories as they adjust to the challenges of producing their own engine.

Speaking ahead of the launch, he told Sky Sports News: "We know it's going to come with some difficulties. We know we are going to have quite a few sleepless nights and a few headaches, but please bear with us for the first few months.

"Nobody underestimates the size of the mountain that we have to climb. It's the sort of challenge we all want to be associated with, and hopefully eventually we will come out on top.

"I think it would be naive, to say the least, for us to think that yes, we have done everything from zero - with great support from Ford - and then we turn up at the first race and we are the same level as people that have been doing it for many years.

"It's not going to be like that. We are going to be trailing them, we are going to be in an incredibly high development rate season, both on the chassis side and on the power unit side.

"We believe in our people, and therefore the fact that we've put together what we believe is an extremely strong team with extremely strong partners."

Red Bull were struggling to compete with constructors' champions McLaren during the 2025 season, but made an extremely strong finish as Verstappen won six of the final nine grands prix to finish the season just two points behind Norris.

"You have seen last year on a season that as the last year of a regulations cycle, you could still see how much the team could do through the season in terms of development," he said.

"Well take that for 2026 multiplied by three or four in terms of development rate, certainly for us in terms of how much we have to learn. So we take it step by step but with he right level of aggressiveness."

A new era for Red Bull

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

Horner was relieved of his duties as team principal and chief executive in July amid a slump in form and, surely more importantly, unrest off-track amid a struggle for control of the Milton Keynes outfit.

Horner's exit initially appeared to be a good sign for long-time Red Bull motorsport advisor Marko, but the Austrian was also shown the exit door at the end of the 2025 season.

Mekies appeared to make an almost instant impact both on and off the track, helping oversee Verstappen's surge back into title contention and also quieting some of the noise around the team with a slightly less confrontational approach than his predecessor.

While legendary designer Adrian Newey's exit from Red Bull was confirmed back in May 2024, this will also be the first car that is produced without any involvement from him.

Given the huge amount of unknowns going into the new season, it would therefore be a major achievement for Red Bull to be anywhere near the battle for titles.

The problem facing the team in the event they are unable to compete at the sharp end is Verstappen, and whether he can be convinced that the good times will soon return and to wait for them.

When is F1 pre-season testing?

The introduction of new regulations means there is a robust schedule of three separate testing events before the start of the 2026 season.

The first is a behind-closed-doors 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 from the 2026 Formula 1 season live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW - No contract, cancel anytime

(c) Sky Sports 2026: Red Bull RB22: Throwback blue livery for Max Verstappen to drive in 2026 F1 season revealed at launch event in Detroit