Racing
© Jonathan Borba
Racing Bulls has unveiled a one-off VCARB FC livery for this weekend’s Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, turning both of its cars into a football-themed tribute tied to the start of the 2026 World Cup and Barcelona’s identity as one of the sport’s strongest cities.
The Barcelona design draws on what the team called “the visual language of football culture.” It adds multiple shades of blue alongside white and neon green, while also introducing a football-club-style VCARB FC crest and ball-style graphics on the wheels to push the concept beyond a standard color change.
That crest combines a chequered flag with three stars. Racing Bulls said the stars represent the 2026 World Cup’s three host nations: Mexico, Canada and the United States.
The activation extends beyond the cars. Racing Bulls will also run football-inspired teamwear in Barcelona, including a VCARB FC Barcelona jersey, as the team leans fully into the matchday look for the seventh round of the Formula 1 season.
Racing Bulls CEO Peter Bayer said the crossover was deliberate. “Formula 1 and Football are two global sports with incredibly passionate communities, united by a shared sense of identity, creativity and culture,” he said. “With VCARB FC, we’re celebrating that crossover, bringing together the energy of both sports.”
Bayer also said the project was a chance to showcase new voices around the team’s branding. Racing Bulls said three creatives from its Creator Platform helped shape the campaign: fashion designer Hattie Crowther, graphic designer Florence Burns and photographer Ezra Alexander.
The Barcelona scheme is Racing Bulls’ third special livery of the 2026 season after earlier one-off looks in Japan and Miami, but this one is built around a much broader campaign. Rather than a race-only visual tweak, the team has used its Spain entry to create a full football-club-style identity for a weekend that links Formula 1, the World Cup and one of motorsport’s most recognizable venues.