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.

 

[RasputinLives]

I realise that this argument has come full circle but the reason Felix Do Costa didn't get the seat was not because he didn't win the title in WSR 3.5. It was because, whilst he got absolutely crushed by Magnusen and Van Dorne and Reg beat by Will Stevens, Kvyat (who started the season third in line of the Red Bull juniors) had an amazing second half of his GP3 season. There was only one seat after all.

 

[KekeTheKing]

Interesting that Seb says the decision to demote Kvyat after Russia had already been made before the race. Sort of lends credence to my suggestion (somewhat in jest) that he was only keeping the seat warm this year until his home race had come and gone.

 

[RasputinLives]

Could also be Seb not wanting to be seem to be too blame for Kvyat being kicked out.

I tend to lean towards your idea that it was always planned though.

 

[Il_leone]

KekeTheKing RasputinLives Whilst Kyvat is putting his cool demeanour which sometimes is mistaken for not being seriously focused and intense . That is hardly confidence endorsing that you've been told that you were keeping the seat warm until someone better comes along especially at Kyvat's stage of career

Both Marko and Horner deny its a demotion for Kyvat and that he could develop better in Toro Rosso then the question needs to then why did you promote him in the first place when he was not fully developed?

RasputinLives I got the impression Da Costa was expected to win the series judging by the form of previous Red Junior drivers or at least be amongst the front runners but it just seems that the pressure was too much for him to prove why ought to be promoted

 

[KekeTheKing]

why did you promote him in the first place when he was not fully developed

Because Vettel jumped ship to Ferrari, which they weren't expecting. They acted so smugly when announcing it too.

 

[Il_leone]

KekeTheKing He was not fully developed and they've messed his career now and maybe Christian Horner should apologise for once to Danil

Then again would history repeat itself with Verstappen? I know timing the move right in a driver's career is critical to their success to get their lucky break this decision could be the most brave or the most foolish decision Red Bull have made

 

[Il_leone]

Kvyat sees 'no reason' for Red Bull F1 swap with Verstappen

 

[gethinceri]

Interesting that Seb says the decision to demote Kvyat after Russia had already been made before the race. Sort of lends credence to my suggestion (somewhat in jest) that he was only keeping the seat warm this year until his home race had come and gone.

Yes, I made the same suggestion. Although mine was no jest.

 

[RasputinLives]

With all the Max/Kvyat dance going on Pierre Gasly smells a Torro Rosso seat

Gasly claims pole for Barcelona GP2 opener

Nothing like opportunity to motivate a driver is there? Gasly wasn't too hot last year it has to be said. He was certainly bested by previous Red Bull Junior Alex Lynn.

 

[Il_leone]

I don't think Kyvat is in a good place right now seeing his successor is right on Ricciardo's pace whilst he was miles off Sainz who seems to be able to develop much more now

Now his likely future replacement has just turned up the pressure a bit more on him

 

[Il_leone]

F1 in 2016: Which Formula 1 team has the best driver line-up?

As part of the Verstappen PR machine lets now vote who has the best driver combination on the grid and yes Red Bull are the only team with no world champions and their driver total wins is less than 40 races between their drivers and less than 200 races between them

 

[Spinodontosaurus]

The Verstappen hype train is out of control. We still don't actually know how good Verstappen is and people are already confidently rating him as one of the best drivers on the grid? It's difficult to rate Ricciardo relative to the rest of the grid never mind Verstappen.

 

[Kewee]

I take everything back I've said about Verstappen, If he is a touch arrogant as I said, he's earned the right to be. His performance in qualifying was extraordinary, considering it was his first time in the car under pressure. Great things will follow in the months and years to come, I don't think many would doubt that. Ricciardo really had to pull a special lap out to take 3rd on the grid away from him. He deserves the hype.

 

[Il_leone]

I say Ricciardo showed a bit of class under serious scrutiny and pressure to pull that one today

Next test for Verstappen is the start tomorrow and whether he will get too overexcited being so close to the front

Verstappen should be only judged once the season is over I think

 

[Kewee]

Il_leone ..... Agreed, a true judgement of Verstappen needs to wait so we can view the balance of his season, though I'm happy to praise a driver when it's deserved and Verstappen earned it during qualifying yesterday. I'll also be critical when they do something stupid. I was quick to criticise after Monaco last year and it was that accident that made me feel he was arrogant. There wasn't a hint of acceptance he was in the wrong. I do think he'll mature quickly though and we'll be less likely to see that sort of behaviour as he gains experience.

 

[Il_leone]

Kewee That is when the real test comes when he has to deal with things that are going so well when everyone starts getting on his back especially the media

I do remember when Vettel kept stupidly crashing Horner used his age and lack of experience as the reason so no doubt if Verstappen did the same things we 'll hear the same excuse

 

[Titch]

I thought Horners new technique for dealing with drivers who crash was to throw them off the team.

 

[RasputinLives]

I have been very critical of Red Bull's treatment of Kvyat last two weeks and I still Don't like it but you can't fault there choice of Max can you?

Wish they'd done it at the start of the season though!

 

[gethinceri]

You fail to appreciate the reality of my Kvyat/Putin "spoiler" earlier.

 

[Il_leone]

Well it seems so far Red Bull have hit the jackpot like they did with Vettel

I am waiting to see how Ricciardo responds to all this euphoria on Max's side because he drove brilliantly yesterday and was robbed of a win

I don't know if we should see it as a sign but could Verstappen be the man of the next generation in F1... would it be the end of the dominant era for Vettel and Hamilton?

I am trying to think key points during F1

Schumacher Spa 1991 was not quite the youngest winner but it was only a year after he made his debut. Youngest world champion 1994

Alonso Hungary 2003 youngest GP winner at that point and then youngest world champion 2005

Hamilton Canada 2007 and youngest world champion 2008

Vettel youngest GP winner and youngest world champion 2010

Verstappen youngest GP and has 4 years to be youngest world champion ???