Red Bull finally grant Max Verstappen F1 request he has long wanted
An early F1 2026 decision from Red Bull has pleased star driver Max Verstappen.
Max Verstappen finally got his wish as Red Bull unveiled a striking new look for the 2026 F1 season.
Red Bull revealed a throwback blue livery for the upcoming 2026 season at their launch event at the home of engine partner Ford in Detroit as they prepare to run their own engine for the first time in F1.
The refreshed colour scheme marks a departure from years of very similar liveries, and Red Bull's decision went down well with four-time world champion Verstappen, who had been requesting a change for some time.
“I think it’s much better,” Verstappen said of Red Bull’s new-look. “Yeah, I’ve been asking for this for a while, so this is great.
“I like the shine. I like the blue, it’s my favourite colour. I like the outline of the Red Bull logo as well. It’s much more fresh.”
Red Bull heading into the ‘unknown’
Verstappen heads into 2026 with the aim of reclaiming the world championship after suffering a narrow title defeat to McLaren’s Lando Norris last season.
But the Dutchman knows it will not be straightforward as F1 prepares to enter a brand new era following a major regulation overhaul that could shake-up the competitive order.
What’s more, Red Bull face the additional challenge given the RB22, which was not presented at the launch, will be fitted with the team’s first in-house power unit.
Red Bull have already conceded that they are expecting engine “struggles” for the first few months of the new F1 season.
“It’s all still a bit unknown,” Verstappen admitted. “Of course it’s a very big change with the engine, the car – as you can see, the dimension of the car has changed a bit.
"For us drivers, initially it will take a bit of time to adjust, and that’s why it’s very important during the test days that we are getting our laps in and that we can optimise everything as well as possible.
“The motivation is very high, everyone is ready. I’m very excited to start this new chapter.”
Verstappen will get to try out Red Bull’s 2026 challenger for the first time during an all-team private shakedown in Barcelona between 26-30 January.
Verstappen has a new teammate this year in Isack Hadjar following the 21-year-old Frenchman's promotion from Red Bull’s sister team Red Bull.
Hadjar replaces Yuki Tsunoda, who is left without a full-time drive and faces a year on the sidelines after a torrid 2025.
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