Red Bull will be racing in white and red again in honor of Honda, as they did in Turkey in 2021 – but this time they will actually be on Japanese soil: the look pays homage to the RA272.
No, Yuki Tsunoda is not getting a special livery in a Japanese design to celebrate his first Grand Prix start for Red Bull. The fact that Red Bull will compete in Suzuka this weekend in an unusual white livery is much more a tribute to the last race together with engine partner Honda on Japanese soil.
To mark the occasion, the team has opted for a visual tribute to the legendary Honda RA272, in which Richie Ginther clinched the Japanese manufacturer’s first Formula 1 victory at the 1965 Mexican Grand Prix. Exactly 60 years later, Red Bull is commemorating this historic event with the white and red RB21.
Curious: There was already a special Red Bull livery in honor of Honda in 2021, but at the time in Turkey. The Istanbul Park Circuit stepped in due to the Corona pandemic because the Japanese Grand Prix could not take place – the “Arigato” livery, which means “thank you”, was still used. Four years later, Red Bull still makes it to Suzuka in a comparable look…
Instead of the usual blue, the Red Bull car will be sporting a white and red livery this weekend, as red and white are considered lucky colors in Japan. The bulls on the engine cover, painted in metallic red, provide an additional visual highlight. Unlike the usual Red Bull designs, the golden circle behind the bull has been removed. In addition, the front nose is adorned with a red circle, in the style of the RA272 – as in the Japanese national flag.
The Honda logos were also revised for this special livery, with the engine cover bearing the 1965 Honda emblem, while the usual HRC logo on the front nose has now been replaced by the red Honda sign from six decades ago. Directly below it is a logo marking the 60th anniversary of Honda’s first Grand Prix victory. The classic H symbol can also be found on both sides of the cockpit.
Since sister team Racing Bulls will also be competing in white as their primary color during the 2025 Formula One season, but the team from Faenza in Japan will be racing with an unchanged design, four white Red Bull cars will be seen on the track in Suzuka.
