Red Bull will race with a one-off white livery at this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix to pay tribute to engine partner Honda.
Sunday’s race at Suzuka will be the last for a Honda-powered Red Bull in Japan as the team and engine supplier prepare to split ways at the end of the season.
The special livery will also coincide with Yuki Tsunoda’s debut at the team after Red Bull’s management called on the Japanese driver to replace Liam Lawson following two disappointing performances by the New Zealander at the first two races of the season.
The livery takes inspiration from the 1965 Honda RA272, which secured the Japanese manufacturer’s first Formula 1 victory 60 years ago at the Mexican Grand Prix.
“It is quite moving to see the RA272 tribute livery on the latest Red Bull Racing machine, in the final year of Honda and Red Bull’s partnership,” Koji Watanabe president of Honda Racing Corporation said. “Our successful path will continue to shine in the history of F1.”
Red Bull last ran a Honda-themed white livery at the 2021 Turkish Grand Prix — a design that the team had intended to race in Japan but was unable to due to the COVID-19 pandemic cancelling that year’s race.
“Our relationship with Honda deserves celebration, it has been one of continued success and brought the team one of the most triumphant and dominant periods in our history,” Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said. “Max has won four world titles with a Honda Power Unit and the team have lifted two constructors’ titles, in addition, Honda’s reliability enabled to complete the most successful season in the sport’s history in 2023.
“This livery is a tribute to Honda’s success in the sport and the final year of, what has been a thoroughly enjoyable partnership. I am looking forward to seeing it out on track.”
Red Bull will launch the livery on Tuesday evening at a car meet in Tokyo before the team completes a “showrun” event on the streets of the Japanese capital on Wednesday.
Tsunoda, Max Verstappen and Racing Bulls drivers Lawson and Isack Hadjar will take to the streets in a Honda RA272, the RB16B which Verstappen won his first title with and two RB7s, which won double world championships.
Honda will enter a new engine partnership with Aston Martin in Formula 1 next year, while Red Bull is building its own power units in collaboration with Ford.
Source: espn.com