After Max Verstappen won the world title four years in a row, he had to admit his superiority in Lando Norris in 2025. After a very strong second half of the season, Verstappen came very close to the McLaren driver, but ultimately had to concede two points. All eyes are now focused on the 2026 F1 season, where Verstappen hopes to score high again.
Even though we haven’t seen anything of the new Red Bull car yet, a few things are now clear about the car. For example, the outcome of the 2025 world championship will have a direct impact on the 28-year-old Dutchman’s car. For the past four years, Verstappen has been proud to drive with starting number #1 as world champion, but this year that honor belongs to Norris. As a result, Verstappen had to go for a different number, and the four-time world champion chose starting number #3.
It is also clear what Verstappen and Isack Hadjar’s car will be called. Not surprisingly, after the RB18, RB19, RB20 and RB21, the Red Bull RB22 was chosen. In terms of color scheme, it seems that the Austrian racing team will opt for something different. Teasers seem to hint at a lighter shade of blue, and a new logo has now been presented. Clarity will follow in the Dutch night from Thursday to Friday, when the livery will be presented.
The fact that Red Bull seems to be going for a different color scheme could also be influenced by the collaboration with Ford. The team from Milton Keynes is developing its own engine for the first time in history. Red Bull has built a brand new facility and taken over staff from Honda and Mercedes. This should all pay off in the end. Initially, Ford only seemed to contribute to the electrical components, but now also contributes to the combustion engine and turbo.
Red Bull’s approach in 2026
A few things are also clear about Red Bull’s approach. RacingNews365 understands that the team led by team boss Laurent Mekies will be very aggressive and will mainly distinguish themselves in the pre-season phase. Red Bull will appear during the first test in Barcelona with a fairly definitive aerodynamic version of the car, after which Red Bull will only develop to a limited extent in Bahrain.
And therein lies the crux of Red Bull’s strategy. The initial aerodynamic concept of the RB22 will serve as a benchmark for the approval of subsequent updates. These updates will be implemented at a rapid pace in the first half of the season, based on a development plan that has been established for some time. The Austrian racing team is therefore investing heavily in the continued development of the car.
In 2025 it also became clear that Red Bull wants to further develop as much as possible. Instead of shifting the focus early on to 2026, as most teams did, the team from Milton Keynes chose to continue. And especially to learn as much as possible for 2026. It could therefore be that the lessons learned in the latter part of the year will be important for the Red Bull RB22. One thing is certain: Red Bull has opted for a clear, but also unique, strategy on the way to the new F1 era.
