Red Bull Racing has unveiled a white livery for the 2025 F1 Japanese GP, and it’s a tribute to Honda following six years of incredible success together.
The white livery designed by Red Bull Racing is dedicated to Honda’s first win in a Formula One Grand Prix, the RA272. It won the Mexican Grand Prix in 1965.
Honda and Red Bull teamed up ahead of the 2019 season as the previously successful Red Bull-Renault partnership came to a bitter end at the end of 2018.
The Honda-Red Bull partnership starts on the right footing and continues to grow
It would be safe to say the six-year relationship between Honda and Red Bull has been an extraordinary success. After a horrific spell with McLaren from 2015-2017, the Japanese company started to supply Toro Rosso with engines in 2018. This allowed Red Bull to get valuable data on how much progress Honda were making. A deal followed for 2019.
In their first year together, Max Verstappen won three races with Honda-powered machinery. He pointed to their badge on his race suit when he took out a memorable 2019 Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring. Further victories followed at Hockenheim and Interlagos.
2021 was the first big, big season as Max Verstappen claimed the title in hugely controversial style at the Abu Dhabi GP. Having previously powered Williams and McLaren to championships in the late 80s and early 90s, it was the first time in 30 years Honda had played a part in securing a championship for a team, this time with Red Bull.
During that season, Red Bull Racing ran a special white livery at the Turkish GP in Istanbul, a tribute to the Honda RA272, the Japanese manufacturers first car to win in Grand Prix racing. Richie Ginther took victory at the 1965 Mexican GP.
The success between Honda and Red Bull Racing keeps on coming
Although Honda officially pulled out of F1 at the end of 2021, they have continued to supply Red Bull Racing and AlphaTauri/Racing Bulls with engines from 2022 until the end of this year. They are switching to Aston Martin once the new regulations come into play for 2026.
Four consecutive Drivers’ Championships for Max Verstappen, two Constructors’ Championships for Red Bull Racing, and 63 wins overall is a remarkable amount of success for Honda while supplying engines to the Milton Keynes-based team.
They will be hoping the RB21 can at least challenge for the podium in Sunday’s race. It’s predicted to be wet as things stand.
