Mark your diaries: First major launch date for F1 2026 calendar revealed
Ford will hold its racing season launch on January 15th.
The first major date of the F1 2026 calendar has been revealed, with an event scheduled in the United States in January.
It’s about time to start marking your calendars for the F1 2026 season, as the first major date for the all-new Formula 1 regulations has been set, with an event which will likely include Red Bull and Racing Bulls.
Ford launch event likely to include Red Bull and Racing Bulls
Ford has announced that its 2026 racing season launch will take place on January 15th, which will showcase the full breadth of the American manufacturer’s engineering prowess across various racing categories in 2026.
In terms of F1, Ford’s burgeoning partnership with Red Bull Powertrains (RBPT) means both F1 teams powered by RBPT-Ford appear set to join Ford to celebrate their own season launches at an event at the manufacturer’s headquarters in Detroit, although this is yet to be formally confirmed.
The event will mark the competitive commencement of the long-awaited partnership between RBPT and Ford beginning in earnest after the two collaborated on the engineering challenge of creating a new power unit for the new rules cycle.
It’s believed that all the drivers from both Red Bull teams will be in attendance, as well as senior team management from both Red Bull and Racing Bulls, with the teams showcasing their new liveries for the new partnership.
The event will serve as something of a rebirth for both Red Bull teams, with the launch not only marking the start of the eponymous Red Bull engine programme partnership with Ford, but also the first season without any oversight from former Red Bull Racing CEO and team boss Christian Horner, who was axed from his roles and removed as a company director earlier this year.
More on the upcoming F1 2026 season
👉 F1 2026: Confirmed teams and power unit suppliers for huge regulation changes
👉 F1 2026 driver line-up: Which drivers are already confirmed for 2026?
Red Bull’s attendance is likely to be officially confirmed by the teams in the coming days, with the date of reveals of the revolutionary new RB22 and VCARB03 cars for the new regulations yet to be clarified.
It won’t be the first time Ford and Red Bull have collaborated on a season launch, with the record-breaking RB19 revealed at a special launch event in New York City in early 2023, where the details of Ford’s long-term strategic technical partnership with Red Bull was detailed for the arrival of the latest hybrid power units.
In 2025, Red Bull accompanied Ford Performance at its racing programmes launch for this year, with 1800 fans joined by Ford partners and members of the media at a special event in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Speaking at the event, Farley spoke of his excitement at seeing Ford’s engine partnership with Red Bull coming to life.
“Formula 1 is our chance to showcase Ford technologies on a global stage to a whole new audience, generating excitement for the iconic Ford brand all around the world,” he said.
“This is such an exciting chapter in Ford’s history. Over the past 20 years Red Bull has succeeded in changing the landscape of Formula 1 and it has done so by being determined to do things differently, an ethos that is very much emulated in the Red Bull Ford Powertrains partnership and with the title sponsorship of the Red Bull Ford Academy Programme.”
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