With the 2025 season coming to an end, F1 teams have begun announcing their 2026 launch dates. As drivers get ready to finish up the current season with an uncertain championship battle, the official calendar for 2026 was announced. Set to embark on another 24-round campaign next year, the season will also bring the new regulations.
These 2026 regulations have been the spark of many conversations regarding the future of Formula 1. Nevertheless, they are set to bring technological and mechanical advancements to an already competitive field.
Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls (15th January 2026)
The first to announce their 2026 F1 launch date were sister teams Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls. Honoring their newfound partnership with Ford, the two teams will showcase their respective liveries on January 15. Choosing to pay homage to Ford Racing’s heritage, the event will take part at the manufacurer’s home in Detroit, Michigan.
These celebrations are meant to also highlight RB’s first year of colaboration with Ford as their power unit manufacturer. Introducing Red Bull Ford Powertrains, the CEO of Racing Bulls, Peter Bayer, shared the excitement of such a partnership:
“We’re incredibly excited to welcome Ford back into the world of Formula One. With over 125 years of heritage, innovation, and absolute dedication to performance, Ford embodies the same competitive spirit that drives our team. This partnership brings together global brands united by a love of racing and a commitment to pushing boundaries.
“As a member of the Red Bull family and together with our title partners; Visa and Cash App, we see huge opportunities to join forces and connect with a new generation of fans. And showcase the future of performance and mobility on a global stage. Launching this new era in Detroit, the birthplace of Ford, makes it all the more special.”
A joint celebration
Alongside Racing Bulls, the main team, Red Bull Racing will take part in the collective unvailing of the two F1 cars at the 2026 launch. Nonetheless, the road to such a partnership between RB and Ford Motor Company took planning and effort. Jim Farley, the President and CEO of Ford highlighted the work that went into this mutually beneficial collaboration:
“Since we announced our return to F1 with Red Bull, the Ford team have been working night and day to get ready for 2026. But this is about so much more than just the racing. It is about how we use our learnings from F1 to make our cars and trucks better for our customers.
“What we will learn together with Red Bull will define the technologies of the future and that is what excites me most about this relationship.”
Laurent Mekies, the CEO and Team Principal of Red Bull Racing, went on to call this 2026 F1 launch more than just “a bold step”. Pointing out the innovation that the teams are ready to welcome in their preparations for next season, Mekies spoke of the inspiring mix of two renoun names in the motorsport industry:
“The launch of the Red Bull Ford Powertrains era represents not only a bold step into the future. But a powerful expression of what’s possible when world-class engineering, innovation, and passion come together. To see the energy, precision, and scale behind this project is inspiring. It’s the culmination of several years of collaboration between two great names in motorsport. We’re incredibly excited to begin this new chapter, driven by the same determination and excellence that defines both Ford and Red Bull.”
*This article will be updated.
