Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says the growth of Formula 1 in America “cannot be ignored” and led to the team’s launch in New York City this year.

The RB19 was unveiled at the Classic Car Club in Manhattan, with fans present to see the design and hear from Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez and Daniel Ricciardo. The event also included the official confirmation of Red Bull’s partnership with Ford from 2026 onwards, but the launch had already been planned prior to that deal being finalized. According to Horner, the U.S. market needs even greater attention as interest grows.

“At Oracle Red Bull Racing we always strive to do things first and do things differently,” Horner said. “This is the first time we have launched our season outside of the UK and the first time any F1 team has launched in the USA. The growth of our sport in America cannot be ignored, there are over 50 million F1 fans in the USA, of which 72% follow us, and the way the fans have embraced our team here has been very special to see.

“Oracle Red Bull Racing will be Stateside more than ever in 2023, not just racing but also running Red Bull Showruns and the first F1 team-led road trip in America, the USA Grand Tauro, later this year.

“We also wanted to celebrate with, and welcome, Ford in their home country, as they become Red Bull Powertrains’ new partner from 2026. This will be a true strategic technical partnership; Ford will assist with battery and hybrid technology and much more to keep the team ahead of the competition. I am already very excited about the possibilities that this partnership will offer both of us globally.”

As part of the launch, Red Bull confirmed it will be giving fans the chance to design three bespoke liveries that will be used at this season’s U.S. races in Miami, Austin and Las Vegas.