Detroit was supposed to be a statement. Instead, Red Bull and Ford delivered a shrug.
Livery Reveal: No Red Carpet here
For an event hyped as the dawn of Red Bull Ford Powertrains — staged in Thee only Motor City, no less — the livery reveal landed with all the drama of a preseason press release. Lights, music, legacy talk… and then that rolled out. Familiar. Safe. Predictable. If you squinted, you could’ve sworn you’d seen it before. Because you have.
This was the moment to signal a bold new era: new regulations, a new engine partner, and a rare chance to visually reset the Red Bull brand. Instead, fans got a slightly polished remix of yesterday’s hits. Blue, black, red — corporate comfort food. No edge. No risk. No gasp-worthy reveal.
Put on the spot for his first take, Max Verstappen joked: “I think it’s much better. I’ve been asking for this for a while, so this is great. I like the shine. I like the blue. It’s my favorite color.” The four-time world champion added: “I like the outlines of the rainbow logo as well. It’s back. It’s much more fresh.”
Laurent Meikes talked a lot and said nothing new other than expect the engine to fall behind other teams – huh?! The Ford heir was equally flat. What’s his name? Yea, him.
And that’s the real disappointment. Red Bull has never been about playing it safe. This is the team that thrives on chaos, confidence, and controversy. Yet the livery felt designed by committee, optimized for sponsors, and allergic to surprise.
Detroit deserved fireworks. Ford deserved flair. Fans deserved something memorable.
Instead, we got a familiar looking livery that’s already aged. In a season where everything is changing, Red Bull’s look says one thing loud and clear: business as usual.
Images courtesy F1 Gallery
