Current Red Bull Racing

Red Bull Racing

FIA Entry: Red Bull Racing Renault
Car 1: Sebastien Vettel
Car 2: Mark Webber
Engine: Renault V8
Team Owner: Dietrich Mateschitz
Team Principal: Christian Horner
Chief Technical: Office Adrian Newey
Chief Designer: Rob Marshall
Race Engineer Car 1: Guillaume “Rocky” Rocquelin
Race Engineer Car 2: Ciaron Pilbeam

Stats as of end 2010

First Entered 2005
Races Entered 107
Race Wins 15
Pole Positions 20
Fastest Laps 12
Driver World Championships 1
Constructor World Championships 1

Team History

Before Red Bull

In 1997 Paul Stewart, aided by his father Jackie and the Ford Motor Company, made the leap from F3000 to F1 as an entrant. Jonny Herbert won 1 race for the Stewart team before it was sold off to Ford who re-branded the cars as Jaguar.

Ford stuck with it through thick and thin (mainly thin) through to the end of 2004 before selling the team to Dietrich Mateschitz, who owns the Red Bull drinks brand, for $1 on the understanding he invested $400 million over 3 years

Red Bull Racing

With Christian Horner installed as team principal, McLaren refugee David Coulthard and Christian Klien as the drivers Red Bull went racing. Their first season was certainly more successful than Jaguar had managed, even with the same Cosworth power plant, with Coulthard managing a 4th place at the European Grand Prix and the team finishing 7th in the Constructors Championship.

Adrian Newey joined from McLaren as chief designer for 2006 and Red Bull swapped to Ferrari engines. Coulthard managed a podium at his "home" race in Monaco prompting Christian Horner to jump naked, other than wearing a red cape, into a swimming pool.

Christian Klien, who shared the car with Vitantonio Liuzzi in 2005 and Robert Doornbos in 2006, departed the team for 2007 and was replaced by Mark Webber. The RB3 was the first full "Newey" car and was coupled with a Renault motor. The car was very unreliable, suffering from a variety of different problems but Webber managed a podium at the European Grand Prix and the team finished 5th in the WCC.

Retaining the same engine and drivers for 2008 Red Bull slipped back to 7th in the WCC and again only managed a single podium, for Coulthard in Canada, but the reliability issues which plagued the car the previous season were mainly resolved.

2009 was Red Bull's break through year. With Coulthard having retired Webber was joined by Red Bull junior driver Sebastien Vettel. The new rules allowed Newey to design a car which challenged for both the Drivers and Constructors Championship. Webber won 2 races, Vettel 4 and the team climbed to 2nd in WCC taking 3 pole positions en-route.

In 2010 Red Bull justified Mateschitz's investment winning the Constructors title and Vettel the Drivers Championship. They won 9 races through the season, 5 for Vettel and 4 for Webber and took 10 poles. Webber led the title race for much of the season but it was the 23 year old Vettel who stole the title in the last race of the season and became the youngest Champion as a result.

2011 sees the team retain the same driver line up as 2010 and continue with Renault engine power in the new RB7 car.

 

[Brogan]

Well worth a read.

Analysis: How VW's F1 vision helped kill Red Bull-Mercedes deal

 

[Greenlantern101]

Sounds like all Red Bull needed to do was quickly agree to any marketing joint ventures, cancel the renault contract then sign on the Mercedes contracts dotted line. If they had moved fast the whole Audi VW, Manor thing wouldn't of happened and they would now have the best engine.

All very cloak and dagger isn't it. Open speedy talks are often the best way. Rarely happens though with the top men trying to squeeze the best deal.

 

[cider_and_toast]

What it does further remind us is that there are so many business partnerships behind the scenes in the motor industry it's a wonder we see any racing on track at all. I wonder how many phone calls have been made in the past between one company and another just to confirm their business partnership arrangements prior to an important GP weekend?

 

[Il_leone]

You can see the issue with Red Bull is they don;t fit either type of typical motor racing team

i) Ones who exist to purely compete in motorsport
ii) Manufacturers who use motorsport to promote Road cars

They are a marketing company after all and that only be achieved with sustained success and aggressive promoting of the brand (and at the detriment of the engine partner)

 

[Il_leone]

Honda-Red Bull talks over 2016 engine supply remain 'ongoing'

Well we might hear something this weekend about Red Bull's future

 

[Greenlantern101]

I hope so this really is dragging isn't it. Get on with it already.

 

[FB]

Why should they? By dragging this out it keeps the brand in the public eye even if they can't win any races. All publicity is good publicity and all that.

 

[Il_leone]

Well guess what they won't announce until mid November now what they will do.

It appears Renault will give them engines as long as it is badged something else. I am trying to think simply calling it Red Bull

 

[Greenlantern101]

All publicity is good publicity and all that.

Thats not what Max Mosley thinks.

 

[Brogan]

It appears Renault will give them engines as long as it is badged something else. I am trying to think simply calling it Red Bull

Perhaps Bull Shit would be more appropriate...

 

[Il_leone]

Brogan That would be appropriate

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

But they'll still be clamouring for the exact same, up-to-date engine as the other teams (and factory team?) which makes it absurd bothering to give it another brand name.

 

[Il_leone]

rufus_mcdufus Red Bull do actually have a contract with Renault to give them engines so it is not as absurd as you say

 

[F1Brits_90]

Just when you think red bull & Renault relationship cant get weirder its reported Red Bull will probably continue with Renault going full circle but with the engine given a different name so it does not appear to casual audience as if the relationship has continued.

 

[Bill Boddy]

Let me guess, Renault are going to re-badge their engines as "Coca Cola".

 

[The Artist.....]

Bill Boddy

My guess is that the Renault engines will be badged "Infiniti"...

 

[Il_leone]

The Artist..... I am not sure Infiniti want to Red Bull sponsor seeing they are part of the Nissan brand and therefore in Renault's corner

--------------------------

Now Red Bull are saying they are on the limit for next season. It looks like everyone else wants to leave them to rot.

 

[The Artist.....]

Il_leone

Given that Red Bull still have a sponsorship agreement with Infiniti/Nissan (which hasn't been announced as being cancelled), it would probably be far enough away from Renault to be acceptable.

 

[Il_leone]

Nissan are paying Red Bull to have Infiniti Brand on the car to cover the cost of the engines
So if I was Renault I'd take the money from Red Bull and not bothering sponsoring them at the same time for what they did . The bargaining power is actually with Renault/ Nissan because Red Bull have very little options

 

[Il_leone]

Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz rules out using Renault engines in 2016

Well I think all the engine suppliers should turn around and tell Red Bull we won;t supply you.. thanks very much

I can't see how Renault want to work with Red Bull now because they keep shooting themselves in the foot They're shutting the door. I don't think Bernie can help