Red Bull launches its 2026 F1 season in Detroit to officially kick off Ford Jalopnik partnership

As the title battle between the 2025 McLaren drivers enters the final stages, all teams are already preparing for a transformative new ruleset next season. Red Bull announced on Tuesday that the launch of the 2026 season will take place on January 15 in Detroit, Michigan. The energy drink giant’s two teams, Red Bull Racing and Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, will unveil the liveries of their cars at an event co-hosted by Ford Racing. It will be the first time that the Blue Oval will appear on the bonnet of Red Bull’s F1 machines.

F1 2026 🔜#F1 || #RedBullRacing pic.twitter.com/H4dgaagnvx

— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) November 11, 2025

It’s no surprise that Red Bull has opted for a livery launch for the event, especially with the unusually early reveal date. Fans would have to wait longer to see the real 2026 cars. The shift from February is intended to allow for the first private test of the preseason in Barcelona, ​​scheduled for the last week of January. The US location is also reminiscent of Red Bull’s 2023 launch in New York City, where it announced its partnership with Ford. Laurent Mekies, team principal of Red Bull Racing, said in a release:

“It is the culmination of several years of collaboration between two big names in motorsport. We are incredibly excited to start this new chapter, driven by the same determination and excellence that defines both Ford and Red Bull.”

Ford found itself in a similar position as a bankroller when it financed the Cosworth DFV, the most successful Formula 1 engine of all time, in the late 1960s. However, the company clearly views the partnership with Red Bull as more than just a contractual agreement. CEO Jim Farley said in a press release: “But this is about so much more than just racing. It’s about how we use our lessons from F1 to make our cars and trucks better for our customers.” I have no idea how developing a 1.6-liter turbo-hybrid V6 engine with 1,000 horsepower will improve the F150, but I guess we’ll find out.