Purple Bull revealed a throwback blue livery for the 2026 System 1 season because the group ushered in a brand new period at their launch occasion in Detroit.
Purple Bull and junior squad Racing Bulls grew to become the primary groups to launch their 2026 seems as they celebrated their new engine period on the Detroit headquarters of companions Ford on Thursday evening.
For the primary time since becoming a member of the System 1 grid in 2005, Purple Bull are manufacturing their very own engine – in collaboration with US automobile big Ford – to coincide with the introduction of recent rules for each energy items and chassis.
Max Verstappen was in attendance as he prepares to try to regain the drivers’ title, having had his streak of 4 successive world championships ended by McLaren’s Lando Norris final 12 months.
Verstappen has one other new team-mate, with French 21-year-old Isack Hadjar having been promoted following a vastly spectacular rookie marketing campaign with Racing Bulls.
Purple Bull mentioned the RB22’s livery marks “a return to the gloss finish first seen when the team made its debut back in 2005.”
A group assertion continued: “System 1 is about to enter a brand new period, as the game’s technical rules endure a seismic change. That is additionally a defining second for Oracle Purple Bull Racing, as a result of the opening spherical of the season in Melbourne will mark the official race debut of Purple Bull Ford Powertrains, because the group now builds each automobile and energy unit below the identical roof for the very first time.
“To acknowledge this bold move, the RB22 will wear a livery inspired by Red Bull’s original look in F1. It harks back to a more classic Red Bull Racing presence, sharpening reflections, boosting contrast under the lights and making heritage elements of the new livery feel richer and more premium at speed.”
Mekies: We’re going to be trailing
Purple Bull group principal Laurent Mekies is embarking on his first full marketing campaign on the helm of the group after changing Christian Horner in July final 12 months.
The Frenchman admits that he does not count on the group to begin the season in competition for victories as they regulate to the challenges of manufacturing their very own engine.
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Purple Bull group principal Laurent Mekies has admitted he expects his squad to be ‘trailing’ their rivals firstly of the 2026 System 1 season, as they regulate to producing their very own engine
Talking forward of the launch, he instructed Sky Sports activities Information: “We know it’s going to come with some difficulties. We know we are going to have quite a few sleepless nights and a few headaches, but please bear with us for the first few months.
“No person underestimates the scale of the mountain that we’ve to climb. It is the type of problem all of us wish to be related to, and hopefully ultimately we’ll come out on prime.
“I think it would be naive, to say the least, for us to think that yes, we have done everything from zero – with great support from Ford – and then we turn up at the first race and we are the same level as people that have been doing it for many years.
“It isn’t going to be like that. We’re going to be trailing them, we’re going to be in an extremely excessive growth price season, each on the chassis aspect and on the facility unit aspect.
“We believe in our people, and therefore the fact that we’ve put together what we believe is an extremely strong team with extremely strong partners.”
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Max Verstappen gained the Las Vegas Grand Prix throughout his spectacular end to the 2025 F1 season
Purple Bull have been struggling to compete with constructors’ champions McLaren in the course of the 2025 season, however made an especially sturdy end as Verstappen gained six of the ultimate 9 grands prix to complete the season simply two factors behind Norris.
“You have seen last year on a season that as the last year of a regulations cycle, you could still see how much the team could do through the season in terms of development,” he mentioned.
“Well take that for 2026 multiplied by three or four in terms of development rate, certainly for us in terms of how much we have to learn. So we take it step by step but with he right level of aggressiveness.”
A brand new period for Purple Bull
Not solely are Purple Bull manufacturing their very own engine, however they’re additionally beginning a season with out both Horner or Dr Helmut Marko for the primary time since becoming a member of the grid in 2005.
Horner was relieved of his duties as group principal and chief govt in July amid a stoop in type and, certainly extra importantly, unrest off-track amid a battle for management of the Milton Keynes outfit.
Horner’s exit initially seemed to be an excellent signal for long-time Purple Bull motorsport advisor Marko, however the Austrian was additionally proven the exit door on the finish of the 2025 season.
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Sky Sports activities’ Craig Slater speaks to Ford’s CEO Jim Farley in regards to the firm becoming a member of forces with Purple Bull for the F1 2026 season
Mekies appeared to make an nearly immediate impression each on and off the observe, serving to oversee Verstappen’s surge again into title competition and in addition quieting a few of the noise across the group with a barely much less confrontational strategy than his predecessor.
Whereas legendary designer Adrian Newey’s exit from Purple Bull was confirmed again in Could 2024, this may also be the primary automobile that’s produced with none involvement from him.
Given the large quantity of unknowns going into the brand new season, it could due to this fact be a serious achievement for Purple Bull to be anyplace close to the battle for titles.
The issue going through the group within the occasion they’re unable to compete on the sharp finish is Verstappen, and whether or not he might be satisfied that the nice instances will quickly return and to attend for them.
When is F1 pre-season testing?
The introduction of recent rules means there’s a strong schedule of three separate testing occasions earlier than the beginning of the 2026 season.
The primary is a behind-closed-doors occasion in Barcelona from January 26-30, earlier than two assessments comply with in Bahrain from February 11-13 and 18-20.
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Talking on the F1 Present podcast, Karun Chandhok, Bernie Collins and Ted Kravitz focus on what they count on from the 2026 season, which is able to characteristic new rules
When is the primary F1 race?
The groups then have two weeks to arrange for the opening spherical of the season, which is the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne from March 6-8.
The primary apply classes of the season will happen on Friday 6 March, with Qualifying on Saturday 7 March and the opening race on Sunday 8 March.
Watch all 24 race weekends from the 2026 System 1 season reside on Sky Sports activities F1. Stream Sky Sports activities with NOW – No contract, cancel anytime
