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Red Bull will be launching their 2023 F1 challenger on February 3 in New York. Unlike most car launches that we tend to see these days, this one is different because, for a change, Red Bull are making an event out of it.
In the last few years, the world of cost saving has led to a stop to some of the more extravagant car launches of the past.
Even Haas' 2023 F1 car launch was a muted affair where the team only did a livery launch and there wasn't even a live stream with the car. Contrary to all of that, Red Bull are going all-in for an event in New York of all places.
So why is the team doing something like that? Well, there are a few plausible reasons why that is the case. Let's take a look.
First F1 constructors' title since 2013 + the US Market
Red Bull did win the drivers' title in 2021 with Max Verstappen, but even that season, it was Mercedes that sealed the constructors' title. Before that, one has to go back to the dominant season put together by Sebastian Vettel in 2013 when the Austrian team sealed the constructors' title.
The fact that the team won the title last season after a gap of 8 years could be one of the reasons behind launching the car with such fanfare. To add to this, lest we forget, F1's relentless push to establish itself in the American market has been very impressive. Three races in the United States means the sport is developing a stronghold in the country.
The Austrian team, too, might be looking to capitalize on that and establish a brand in that part of the world.
The Red Bull-Ford partnership
Arguably the most important factor could be the announcement of a partnership with Ford that begins in 2026. The Mirror has already reported that a possible announcement of a partnership with Ford could be on the cards, but nothing has been signed yet. The report states:
"Sources have told Mirror Sport that Ford and Red Bull have been in talks and that a deal is expected, though pen is yet to be put to paper. All signs point to the official announcement of their partnership being made at the season launch event on Friday, February 3."
Regardless of what the reason is, it's great to get the F1 season rolling after the winter break.
