Overview
- Red Bull and Racing Bulls presented Ford-branded 2026 liveries in Detroit, marking Red Bull’s first season racing a power unit built by its own Red Bull Powertrains operation.
- Ben Hodgkinson said the first power unit is named DM01 in tribute to Dietrich Mateschitz and described a four‑year build‑up that recruited roughly 700 staff and new facilities.
- Only show cars and renders were displayed, with the first track outings scheduled for a private Barcelona shakedown on January 26–30 followed by Bahrain tests on February 11–13 and 18–20.
- Audi, Ferrari and Honda have asked the FIA to clarify the 16:1 compression‑ratio limit, with a technical experts’ meeting set for January 22; Red Bull maintains its design complies.
- Laurent Mekies cautioned the team expects to be trailing early in 2026, as Max Verstappen adopts number 3 and is joined by promoted team‑mate Isack Hadjar, while Racing Bulls introduced rookie Arvid Lindblad.