Purple Bull is unveiling its new RB22 Method 1 automobile in america on Thursday, following a difficult 2025 marketing campaign the place Max Verstappen practically overcame a 104-point deficit to win a fifth consecutive title. This prowess is basically irrelevant, nevertheless, as F1 switches to new technical rules on each the chassis and engine sides, with the Purple Bull workforce itself going by way of a administration overhaul.
What’s new at Purple Bull?
Many issues. Actually, the workforce is vastly completely different now in comparison with its set-up when it tackled the 2024 season because the reigning world champion.
Workforce principal Christian Horner, chief technical officer Adrian Newey, sporting director Jonathan Wheatley, head of technique Will Courtenay and advisor Helmut Marko are the highest-profile figures who’ve left the Milton Keynes-based squad prior to now two years – with the latter two departing not too long ago.
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Others have stepped up; Purple Bull promoted Racing Bulls workforce principal Laurent Mekies to the principle workforce, Pierre Wache now leads the technical workforce with out Newey’s oversight, and Verstappen’s race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase has taken on further duties as head of race engineering.
Marko’s departure is unlikely to have repercussions given his diminishing affect and minor impression on precise efficiency – in contrast to Courtenay’s defection to McLaren, however Purple Bull will retain principal technique engineer Hannah Schmitz’ providers. Schmitz has been credited with quite a few race-winning tactical calls, not least staying out as each McLarens pitted underneath the security automobile within the 2025 Qatar Grand Prix.
Pierre Wache, Chief Engineer of Efficiency Engineering at Purple Bull Racing, Laurent Mekies, Purple Bull Racing Workforce Workforce Principal, Helmut Marko
Picture by: Erik Junius
In the meantime, Purple Bull additionally has a brand new driver line-up. Yuki Tsunoda has been demoted to a reserve position after an underwhelming 2025 season, with Isack Hadjar promoted to the principle workforce for less than his second marketing campaign on the earth championship. The Frenchman impressed in his rookie season at Racing Bulls, the place he had the higher hand on team-mate Liam Lawson and took a maiden podium end.
What is the greatest problem to Purple Bull?
The principle change at Purple Bull, nevertheless, can be its greatest problem: utilizing its personal energy items, in collaboration with Ford.
That call was made in gentle of Honda’s departure from F1, which the Japanese model backtracked on when it realised how aggressive Purple Bull had grow to be – however the workforce had already dedicated to its new challenge.
Turning into a brand new engine producer in F1 is a tall order, nevertheless, as proven by Honda’s earlier ordeal with McLaren. On the time, Honda had joined 12 months into the new-for-2014 rules, which proved to be poor timing because it spent years catching up with its rivals. It received’t be the case for Purple Bull-Ford, however even with revamped rules that emphasise electrical energy, being as aggressive as established engine makers from the get-go could be outstanding.
Quite a few former Mercedes engineers and Ford’s experience can be notably useful in that regard.
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What is the strongest asset to Purple Bull?
Purple Bull’s strongest asset, unquestionably, is Max Verstappen. The four-time world champion proved his calibre once more in 2025 as he launched an unlikely title bid to finish up two factors adrift of Lando Norris within the F1 standings, regardless of a theoretically slower Purple Bull automobile in comparison with the McLaren.
In fact, no matter Verstappen is ready to obtain in 2026 will hinge on how aggressive his automobile can be. No driver ever actually outperforms their automobile; the Dutchman has definitely been the very best at getting 100% out of his, however even he arguably can’t flip a midfield automobile right into a title contender.
What is the objective in F1 2026 for Purple Bull?
Because the workforce that has received essentially the most titles within the 2020s thus far, Purple Bull can hardly purpose at something aside from victories and a possible title. Actually, the brand new RB22’s success will largely depend upon how aggressive (and dependable) the Purple Bull-Ford powertrain is. In flip, this can affect the workforce’s skill to retain Verstappen for the longer term.
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