The 2026 F1 season is officially underway as Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen, Isack Hadjar and Team Principal Laurent Mekies unveiled the team’s new challenger in Detriot, Michigan. With the championship entering a brand-new era of regulations, Red Bull and sister team VCARB became the first teams to reveal their liveries ahead of the 2026 F1 season.
This year also marks the beginning of a significant new chapter for the Milton Keynes-based team, welcoming Ford as its power-unit partner following an extremely successful seven-year partnership with Honda. Speaking at Ford Racing’s season launch, Verstappen and Hadjar shared their thoughts on the fast-approaching season as anticipation continues to build ahead of the first on-track running at the first of three pre-season tests.
A fresh start in F1 2026 for Verstappen and Red Bull
For the four-time World Champion, the 2026 season marks a clean slate after narrowly missing out on a fifth consecutive title despite a remarkable comeback. Eager to get back behind the wheel and take his first official taste of the new regulations, Verstappen said: “Yeah, it’s all still a bit unknown, of course. It’s a very big change with the engine, the car. I mean, as you can see, also the dimension of the car has changed a bit.
“So for us drivers, I think as well, initially, yeah, it will take a bit of time to adjust and that’s why it’s very important during the test days that we are getting our laps in and that we can optimise everything as well as possible.”
Looking to build on the momentum Red Bull found in the latter half of 2025, the Dutchman said the fight and motivation for success are greater than ever heading into the new regulations
“Yeah, I mean, it’s always better to have an ending like that, for sure. You know, the motivation is very high. Everyone is ready and very excited to start this new chapter.”
Hadjar with bold ambitions for the 2026 season
The 21 year-old is no stranger to the Red Bull family, having been part of the Red Bull Junior Team since 2022. Having completed a FP1 outing with the team in 2024, he joins Red Bull well-acquainted with the team and its environment.
“I mean, the Red Bull family, I’ve been in it for a couple of years now since I signed in the programme as a kid. So it’s not fully new to me. I had a couple of outings like two years ago already when I was in F2.
“So I’m lucky enough not to have to meet everyone for the first time, so there’s familiar faces, like Laurent [Mekies] and also a couple of mechanics. So yeah, and I started to work quite early in the season to make sure I’m fully adapted and fully in the rhythm.”
A standout rookie season with VCARB proved enough to earn Hadjar a promotion to the senior Red Bull team. As the Frenchman steps up to partner Verstappen for the upcoming season, the 21 year-old knows the challenge ahead is steep, but enters the year with ambition: to claim his first win in F1.
“A maiden race win would be good, at least,” said Hadjar.
