Red Bull and Racing Bulls season launch date confirmed in massive Ford event

Red Bull and Racing Bulls will host their season launches at a major group event with Ford in Detroit in January.

As reported by PlanetF1.com at the end of October, Ford’s motorsport season launch will take place in Detroit in mid-January, and both Red Bull F1 teams will attend in order to carry out their own launches for the upcoming F1 season.

Red Bull to launch F1 2026 season alongside Ford

Red Bull will enter into a major new partnership in F1 2026, as the long-awaited Red Bull Powertrains (RBPT) project finally enters competition.

Following the confirmation of Honda’s withdrawal from F1 at the end of 2021, Red Bull opted to create its own power unit for the upcoming regulation cycle of a new-generation hybrid V6 with increased electrification.

RBPT entered into a partnership with Ford, with the American giant forming a close bond with the two Red Bull teams as both gear up to race in F1 as fully autonomous manufacturers with Ford’s expertise.

Ford will host its motorsport season launch in Detroit on January 15th, 2026, held at the Michigan Central Station, less than two weeks before F1 pre-season testing begins, behind closed doors, with a five-day test in Barcelona.

Both Red Bull and Racing Bulls will be in attendance to reveal their liveries for the F1 2026 season, as well as celebrate the launch of their new engine partnership with Ford.

“Since we announced our return to F1 with Red Bull, the team has been working night and day to get ready for 2026,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Racing.

“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.”

The return of the blue oval to Formula 1 ends a 22-year absence, with its last involvement in the sport being in 2004 when it owned the Jaguar team. At the end of that season, the parent company sold Jaguar to Red Bull, with the two companies now coming together in a new partnership as Red Bull has become one of the behemoths of the sport in the two decades since.

“For the first time, Red Bull will introduce their two Formula 1 teams at one event, and I can tell you, Ford is very much at the heart of this project,” Rushbrook said.

“This Red Bull launch is a celebration of a journey that has been several years in the making. It’s the official introduction of the Red Bull Ford Powertrains unit — the heart of Ford’s return to the pinnacle of motorsport.

“With Formula 1’s incredible global growth, a new and diverse fanbase, and the 2026 regulations’ focus on sustainable fuels and electric power, the technical challenge has never been greater — or more aligned with our vision for the future of automotive performance.”

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The season launch for the two Red Bull teams marks something of a rebirth for both, following the parting of the ways between Red Bull and former CEO and team boss Christian Horner in mid-2025.

Horner played an instrumental role in the creation of the Ford partnership for RBPT, having overseen the commencement of the Red Bull powertrains project in 2021 while still partnered with Honda.

Following his removal from his sporting roles, as well as his directorships within the F1 team and the Powertrains project, all his positions have been filled by Laurent Mekies.

Rushbrook said the date of the season launch will mark a pivotal moment for the shaping of Ford’s future, particularly after finding a partner that matches its own ethos.

“Returning to Formula 1 required us to find a partner that shared our DNA — a relentless desire to compete and win,” he said.

“We found that in Red Bull. Their audacious, championship-winning culture is a perfect match for our 125 years of Ford Racing history.

“The entire Ford Racing team is primed and ready to take on the world in 2026. We invite you to join us on every step of this journey as we strive to bring the Ford blue oval back to the top step of podiums across the globe.

“It’s time for Ford Racing to take on the world’s most iconic racetracks and challenge the very best.

“We are more than ready for this challenge, and we can’t wait to kick off this incredible season in January. We’ll be sharing much more about the details of the event and how to watch in the weeks to come, so stay tuned!”

It’s expected that top-level management and the drivers, from both Red Bull teams, as well as senior figures from Ford, will be in attendance at the event in Detroit.

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