Ford’s bold livery presence: Style or substance?
Launch season has begun: On the night of January 15 - 16, Red Bull, alongside sister-team Racing Bulls, unveiled their 2026 livery. The car was showcased in Detroit as part of the Ford Racing season launch to highlight the close collaboration between the American automotive giant and the Milton Keynes based team. The design is striking and the statement is clear: Red Bull has reinvented itself alongside a new partner, but is the partnership more than just a branding exercise?
Red Bull’s fresh design, Picture: Red Bull Content Pool
New season, new design
Glossy finish, a brighter tone of blue and redesigned fonts for the driver numbers: Compared to the nearly unchanged but as well iconic design of recent years, this livery stands out. The paintwork is the only official element of the RB22 fans and press were provided with though, as the displayed car specification, according to Red Bull, is only a show car and not representative of the actual configuration. However, the livery still provides some insights into the team’s new structure.
Ford: A technical partner or just a marketing deal?
As previously stated, the official team launch has taken place in the USA, home of the Ford Motor Company. Ford has officially partnered with Red Bull ahead of the 2026 season to develop the team’s very own engine, a huge step for the American brand as they return to the sport after 22 years of absence. Looking at the livery, Ford’s logos are kept rather in the background, however, the lighter tone of blue [representing the colour of the brand, as well Red Bull’s iconic liveries from their starting years] gives the impression that Ford is indeed a new force within the team.
Ford is shining on Red Bull’s new livery, Picture: Red Bull Content Pool
Despite all efforts, the commitment from Ford to achieving sporting success together has been doubted recently. Dan Towriss, CEO of Cadillac, has stated that the partnership between Ford and Red Bull is “a marketing deal with minimal impact”. Ford’s response was clear: Will Ford, general manager of Ford Performance, ensured that the collaboration is “a true technical partnership” to “complement the audacious effort that Red Bull decided to set down on developing their own power unit”. Red Bull are developing and producing their first own engine for the 2026 season without Honda’s support. Even though Red Bull Powertrains was founded in 2021, Honda still provided valuable resources until the end of the 2025 season, which are tough to compensate. Therefore, the partnership with Ford could prove even more valuable, as technical director of RBPT, Ben Hodgkinson, described ahead of the official launch in Detroit: "We're able to make very complex 3D parts, parts that are so complicated you can’t machine them [without Ford’s manufacturing capability] because of their geometry'“ he stated. Furthermore, Ford provides additional employees to support the engine team with specialized expertise.
Summed up, Ford has not only returned to the sport to expand their brand visibility, but also to make a sporting impact. Their presence on Red Bull’s livery therefore signals: Ford is here to stay.
written by Tizian Hatzmann