By Graham Duxbury @TheRealDux 

Today marks a symbolic milestone for Formula One’s next era as Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls unveil their 2026 liveries in Detroit, Michigan, alongside new power unit partner Ford.

Staged at the US automotive giant’s home base, the event underlines the growing importance of the American market to F1, while signalling the seriousness of Ford’s return to the sport at the highest level.

The unveiling is the first public glimpse into the Red Bull Ford Powertrains programme, a project that will see Red Bull design and manufacture its own power units from 2026 under the sport’s radically revised engine regulations.

Ford’s involvement brings decades of engineering heritage, advanced electrification expertise and manufacturing scale to the partnership, particularly in areas such as hybrid systems, battery technology and software development.

For Red Bull Racing, the alliance represents a bold step towards technical independence following the end of its Honda partnership. For Racing Bulls, it reinforces its role as a crucial part of the wider Red Bull ecosystem heading into a new regulatory cycle.

Hosting the launch in Detroit also reflects F1’s shifting centre of gravity, with the United States now holding and increasingly important position in the championship’s future.