The new car for Max Verstappen is on its way! Reportedly, the successor to the current RB21 will be launched in early January. In honor of the new partnership with Ford, the presentation is said to take place in Detroit, the home base of the American automotive giant. The car of sister team Racing Bulls is expected to be unveiled simultaneously. In line with the new technical regulations of 2026, the RB22 promises to look significantly different from the current vehicle.
Various media outlets report that Red Bull and Racing Bulls are organizing a joint launch in Detroit on January 15. Both teams will be using Ford engines from 2026 onwards. The event is expected to be a symbolic presentation – the teams will only show the new color scheme, without revealing the actual design of the car. The full RB22 will only make its official debut during the first test days.
New Regulations
Given the new technical regulations of 2026, the RB22 will break with the current design. The chassis is required to be shorter and thinner next year. In addition, the FIA has added some new aerodynamic elements. Underneath, the cars will use a new powertrain, with power evenly distributed between a combustion engine and a battery.
The relatively early launch is likely related to the new technical regulations. As a result, the test moments have also been moved forward by a few weeks. The first test sessions are already taking place from January 26 to 30 in Barcelona – behind closed doors. After that, the Formula 1 circus travels to Bahrain, where two more three-day tests will take place from February 11 to 13 and from February 18 to 20.
