The Austrian Red Bull Racing team has presented this Friday in New York the new RB19, the single-seater with which Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez will try to repeat a memorable year for the whole team, and which barely presents aesthetic novelties. Last season, they celebrated a spectacular “double” by winning the two Formula One World Championships at stake, the drivers’ thanks to the Dutchman and the constructors’, thanks to the contribution of ‘Checo’.
However, his new car was not the big news of the ceremony, as Red Bull took the opportunity to present Ford, historic engine manufacturer for F1, as its new engine supplier from 2026, when the regulations change again. Meanwhile, Honda will continue to provide power units to the Austrians, increasingly ‘Americanized’ in line with the trend of the ‘Grand Circus’.
Up to three races will be hosted by the United States this year between its own Grand Prix, held at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas; Miami, which debuted last year; and Las Vegas, which makes its debut this season. Given its future alliance with Ford, it was no coincidence that Red Bull chose a location near the Hudson River in New York as the setting for the presentation.
The new dominant F1 team wanted in this way to stage the enormous expansion of the premier class in the United States, and of its own brand in the North American market thanks to Ford. “At Oracle Red Bull Racing we always try to do things first and differently. This is the first time we have presented our season outside the UK; and the first time an F1 team has been presented in the United States,” Christian Horner said at the event.
“The growth of our sport in America cannot be ignored – there are more than 50 million fans in the United States, 72 percent of whom support us. It was something very special, to see how they have embraced our team here,” Horner added. In addition to ‘Mad Max’ and ‘Checo’, who was also present was Australian Daniel Ricciardo, who will be testing for the team where between 2014 and 2018 he achieved seven of his eight F1 victories.
“Red Bull is going to be in the United States more than ever in 2023, not just racing, but with exhibitions. We also wanted to celebrate with Ford and welcome them in their country, as from 2026 they will be our engine suppliers,” commented Verstappen and ‘Checo’s’ team boss, convinced that it will be “a real strategic technical partnership”. “I’m already really excited about the possibilities that this union is going to offer us both from a global point of view,” Horner added with evident enthusiasm.
Last year, Red Bull signed a dream campaign, with an unstoppable ‘Mad Max’ who retained the title with a record number of victories in a single season (15), and with a ‘Checo’ who missed the runner-up spot by only three points. This year they aspire to improve even more and surpass themselves, although this presentation was much more than that. Red Bull has presented its plan for the future, an alliance with Ford to completely dominate the sport, which for now promises to be something to talk about. Even so, that will be in 2026, there are still many miles to go.