Source : @F1
AUSTIN — Oracle Red Bull Racing has gone “southern style” for this weekend’s United States Grand Prix, with Formula 1’s official X account on Tuesday (Oct 20) sharing images of the team’s Western-themed look for the race at the Circuit of The Americas in Texas.
The post, captioned “Red Bull Racing, southern style embracing” and tagged #USGP, features three photographs of the team’s drivers in predominantly white race suits. They pose on a set dressed with a red Ford Raptor pick-up, hay bales, coiled rope, a wooden cart and a cowboy hat, against a painted desert sunset. Max Verstappen, carrying his number 3 on his suit, appears in two of the images.
The look is part of a collaboration with Ford, Red Bull’s power-unit partner, which the team announced on Monday (Oct 19). Kit supplier Castore has produced an exclusive collection that draws on the off-road character of Ford’s high-performance Raptor vehicles and the history of American motorsport. Verstappen and his team-mate Isack Hadjar will wear custom race suits and boots, the rest of the team will receive matching apparel, and Red Bull’s garage at the circuit will carry Ford Raptor branding throughout the weekend.
Verstappen will also race with a one-off helmet for Austin. The design keeps the lion emblem he has used throughout his Formula 1 career, but the lion now wears a cowboy hat, on a predominantly white base with red and dark-blue accents, American flag details and Ford branding. The four-time world champion revealed it on social media last week, writing: “Texas bound. I’ll be coming to Austin with this special helmet!” Red Bull has not confirmed a special livery for its RB22 car, and the officially announced changes cover the team’s clothing, Verstappen’s helmet and the garage.
Paul Gandolfi, Red Bull’s chief commercial officer, said the team wanted to make this year’s visit a memorable one for supporters. “Austin is always a weekend where we have a lot of fun. This year, we’re going bigger than ever, both at the circuit and across the city,” he said. “From our Ford Raptor-inspired team kit and garage transformation to fan experiences and driver appearances throughout race week, we’re creating several opportunities for fans to connect with Oracle Red Bull Racing.”
Ford Racing general manager Will Ford welcomed the way the team had adopted the manufacturer’s off-road identity. “We love how the ORBR team has embraced the spirit of Raptor, from the race suits to the pit garages, and we look forward to seeing Max and Isack taking the track in Austin,” he said. This is Ford’s first season as Red Bull’s Formula 1 power-unit partner under the sport’s new regulations.
Away from the track, Red Bull and Ford have planned a programme of events across Austin. It begins on Wednesday (Oct 21) with “The Pull Up”, an event dedicated to American car culture and motorsport featuring customised Ford vehicles, a Red Bull Formula 1 show car, live music and a Texas barbecue. Red Bull Austin Race Nights will then run from Oct 22 to 25 at Big Texas, a sports bar in East Austin, with driver appearances, racing simulators and a pit-stop challenge. Replica clothing from the collection, including work shirts, motor jackets and New Era caps, is on sale through the team’s official store.
The makeover comes as Verstappen arrives in Austin in strong form after back-to-back victories, the latest at the Singapore Grand Prix. The Dutchman is fourth in the drivers’ standings on 221 points, 119 behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes, who has 340. Red Bull, meanwhile, is pushing to overtake McLaren for third place in the constructors’ championship.
The United States Grand Prix, the 18th round of the 2026 season, takes place from Oct 23 to 25. Sunday’s race starts at 3pm local time, or 4am on Monday (Oct 26) in Malaysia, and opens a triple-header that continues with the Mexican and Brazilian Grands Prix. The original Formula 1 post can be viewed on X: https://x.com/F1/status/2112499317898682498.
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