GALLERY: Red Bull unveil special white and red livery for Japanese Grand Prix

Red Bull have revealed a special one-off livery that will adorn the RB21 during the Japanese Grand Prix weekend, with the team running a striking white and red design to honour the final year of their partnership with Honda.

In an event that will see Yuki Tsunoda step up as Max Verstappen’s new team mate in front of his home crowd – following the decision to swap the Japanese driver with Liam Lawson, the latter returning to Racing Bulls – Red Bull’s challenger will pay tribute to Honda by sporting a design inspired by the RA272, which gave the engine manufacturer its inaugural win back in 1965.

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The livery recreates the RA272's Japanese flag motif, featuring the ‘H’ logo on the nose and the simple Honda logo on the rear of the bodywork, while a special logo commemorating the 60th anniversary of Honda’s debut victory will be displayed on the Red Bull and Racing Bulls cars during the weekend.

"Our relationship with Honda deserves celebration, it has been one of continued success and brought the team one of the most triumphant and dominant periods in our history,” said CEO and Team Principal Christian Horner.

“Max has won four world titles with a Honda power unit, and the team have lifted two Constructors' titles. In addition, Honda's reliability enabled it to complete the most successful season in the sport's history in 2023.

“This livery is a tribute to Honda's success in the sport and the final year of what has been a thoroughly enjoyable partnership. I am looking forward to seeing it out on track."

Koji Watanabe, President of Honda Racing Corporation (HRC), added: "It is quite moving to see the RA272 tribute livery on the latest Red Bull Racing machine, in the final year of Honda and Red Bull's partnership. Our successful path will continue to shine in the history of F1."

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This is not the first time that Red Bull have raced in white, with the squad having previously run a special livery at the 2021 Turkish Grand Prix.

Ahead of the weekend’s racing action, the team – along with Racing Bulls – will take part in a show run through the streets of Tokyo on Wednesday.

Verstappen, Tsunoda, Lawson and Isack Hadjar are set to get behind the wheel of a Honda RA272, the RB16B – in which Verstappen won his first Drivers’ title powered by Honda – and two RB7s, a car that also earned double championships in 2011.