While Racing Bulls are the “B” team in the Red Bull family, there have been plenty of instances where we have seen the two teams battling on the track. Coming off the 2025 season, where the Italian outfit fought with Williams for the claim of best of the rest before missing out and finishing sixth in the Constructor Championship. They will be looking to improve and close the gap between them and Williams. The big question is, are there too many changes over the offseason?

Key team facts

Full Team Name	Visa Cash App Racing Bulls Formula One Team
Base	Faenza, Italy
Team Principal	Alan Permane
Technical Directors	Tim Goss (Chief Technical Officer) Dan Fallows (Technical Director)
Engine Supplier	Red Bull Ford
2025 Championship Position	6th

2026 Racing Bulls drivers

Liam Lawson:

Having only entered 35 Formula One Grand Prix, Liam Lawson has had a bit of a whirlwind career at the pinnacle of motorsport. Making his debut with AlphaTauri in 2023, when Daniel Ricciardo was sidelined with an injury, Lawson made a statement on the track. He went into the 2024 season without a seat; however, he would replace Ricciardo full-time after a string of disappointing results. Driving alongside Yuki Tsunoda, he picked up where he left off, and he landed the 2025 Red Bull seat.

Lawson began 2025 next to Max Verstappen, though the curse of the second Red Bull seat struck and after just two races, he was demoted. The previously mentioned Tsunoda took over, and Lawson was back to Racing Bulls, this time driving with rookie Isack Hadjar. He was able to somewhat pull it together afterwards and even finished ahead of Tsunoda in the Drivers’ Championship. Although it obviously wasn’t the season he would’ve been hoping for.

Heading into 2026, it is a clean slate for the Kiwi driver. He doesn’t have the pressure of being Max Verstappen’s teammate, and he can instead take the chance to prove himself yet again. With a rookie alongside him, he will be seen as the number one driver and will have to take that next step to lead the team if they want to take that next step in the standings.

Arvid Lindblad:

The only rookie on the 2026 F1 grid is Arvid Lindblad, someone who has been making waves across the paddock for some time now. He became the youngest ever race winner in Formula 3 and Formula 2. He has followed the likes of Charles Leclerc and Kimi Antonelli, winning the WSK Euro Series in 2021, his first season being a part of the Red Bull academy.

As he made the jump from karting to single-seaters, Lindblad continued progressing. That earned him a spot in the conversation for a spot on the grid, which led him to getting F1 practice sessions. In 2025, the teenager participated in two FP1 sessions with Red Bull and in Testing in Previous Car (TPC) runs. The 2026 season will be all about showing that he deserves his spot and that he has star potential.

Racing Bulls technical breakdown

The 2026 car for Racing Bulls, known as the VCARB 03, is the third car in Racing Bulls’ history. Staying with Red Bull powertrains, the new Red Bull Ford engine sits inside the chassis of the number 30 and 41 cars. There have been some noticeable differences in the front suspension compared to last year’s car. The pushrod and pullrod are positioned much differently, while the front wing endplates are curved more inward.

Through the shakedowns and Bahrain testing, we have seen signs of promise from the team. Lawson, in his two sessions, was in and around the top 10; Lindblad was a little more varied in his position but was also able to show top 10 pace on day 3. The picture will become clearer on both the car and its performance when we get a better look at it during FP1 in Australia.

Racing Bulls leadership and personnel changes

The Team Principal is Alan Permane, who took over the role from Laurent Mekies after he was promoted to the Red Bull job last season, after Christian Horner was sacked. Before that, Permane was the Racing Director, and he has decades of experience in Formula 1. Like most teams, as Team Principal, he will be the one running the team, making those ultimate decisions. The target will be for him to take that expertise and implement to the team and help them reach their ultimate goal, rule the midfield.

On the technical side, Racing Bulls’ Technical Director is Dan Fallows, and he reports to the Chief Technical Officer, Tim Goss. Fallows will work across aerodynamics, design, and performance, as well as lead the overall technical direction for the team. He has previous experience as the Technical Director at Aston Martin up until 2024, and Head of Aerodynamics at Red Bull for 15 years. In his time at Red Bull, Fallows worked closely with the legendary Adrian Newey before now re-joining the Red Bull family. Goss worked at McLaren for almost 30 years, being there for multiple World Championships, and afterwards took a senior role at the FIA. He left about two years ago and became the Chief Technical Officer for Racing Bulls.

2026 Racing Bulls performance expectations

The expectation surrounding the team is to be battling for the “best of the rest” spot, something that Williams beat them to in 2025. While there is some uncertainty with Lindblad being a rookie and new regulations compared to Williams staying put personnel-wise, there will be some catching up to do. Similar to Red Bull, however, they will see some more stability with what they hope is no midseason shakeups like last year.

Key questions for Racing Bulls going into the 2026 F1 season

1. Will Arvid Lindblad’s inexperience prove to be too much?

We have seen on many occasions that rookies can compete immediately upon entering F1. Just last season, Antonelli, Ollie Bearman, Hadjar, and almost all the rookies saw success in their respective teams. Lindblad will be 18 when he makes his debut, just as Antonelli was last season. For Kimi, it took him some time before he settled into a groove and scored consistent points; it may be the same process for Lindblad. For Racing Bulls, will that hinder their fight with Williams? Well, it could actually benefit them by the end of the season if he can string together strong performances.

2. Will Liam Lawson be able to take the next step in his development?

As mentioned previously, Lawson will take that step up to being the number one driver; the main question is whether his driving also takes a step forward. He has shown glimpses many times of what he can do on the track; the main thing is whether he will be able to do that consistently. He has a chip on his shoulder, a point to prove, and he has the chance to show that he is someone who can compete.

3. Can the VCARB 03 keep up with Williams over the season?

Just as much as you need a strong driver, you also need a strong car. If controlling the midfield really is in the cards for Racing Bulls, then it will also depend on the VCARB 03. Whether or not the car is able to stay reliable, and if it can stay with the likes of Williams, remains to be seen. However, from what we have seen of the car on track, it has looked promising for the team from Faenza.

What does 2026 have in store for Racing Bulls?

They don’t have the expectations of Red Bull, but that doesn’t mean the pressure is off for the “junior” team. Big things are expected of them after they took the fight to many in 2025. While there are plenty of variables like the new regulations and a new driver, they haven’t swayed the team. They remain fully committed to improving and competing for more points and a higher championship finish in 2026.

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