Red Bull has unveiled a special white livery for the Japanese Grand Prix, paying tribute to its outgoing engine partner Honda in what will be the final home race of their collaboration.
The RB21’s design is inspired by the Honda RA272, the car that secured the Japanese manufacturer’s first Formula 1 victory with Richie Ginther at the 1965 Mexican Grand Prix.
The livery features a red sun on the nose, symbolising Japan’s national flag, with metallic red bulls on the engine cover.
Honda’s logos have been altered to their 1960s versions, and the nosecone bears a memorial marking 60 years since the milestone win.
Red Bull will switch to Ford power units from 2026, making this Suzuka appearance a symbolic farewell.
The livery draws comparisons to the white Red Bull run at the 2021 Turkish Grand Prix, which also paid homage to Honda after that year’s Japanese GP was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yuki Tsunoda, who replaces Liam Lawson at Red Bull, will make his debut for the team in front of his home crowd.
“To be honest, I never expected to be racing for Red Bull at the Japanese Grand Prix,” Tsunoda said during a Honda event in Aoyama. “This is the final year of Red Bull and Honda’s partnership, so getting to race in Suzuka as a Red Bull Racing driver feels like fate.”
Tsunoda, 24, acknowledged the challenge ahead but expressed hope for a strong performance.
“My priority is to first understand the car, how it behaves compared to the VCARB. If I can naturally enjoy driving it in FP1, then the results will follow. And if that leads to a podium finish, that would be incredible.”
The Japanese GP marks a significant chapter in Red Bull and Honda’s history, with the special livery serving as a final tribute to their success together in Formula 1.
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