In its short history in F1, Red Bull Racing has become one of the most successful teams ever to enter the championship. In just over six years the team has secured the drivers’ and constructors’ world championships and is renowned for its technical excellence, creativity and commitment.
The journey started in November 2004 when Red Bull purchased the assets of Jaguar Racing, acquiring the keys to a factory based in the ‘motorsport valley’ of the UK, a core team of staff and the early designs for the car that would become the RB1.
Off-track, the Paddock’s newest residents adopted the hip and youthful promotional presence for which it became synonymous. Today the mega-motorhomes are a familiar sight behind the garages; in 2005 it looked like a spaceship had dropped into the Paddock.
Red Bull Racing took its first podium finish in 2006, thanks to a faultless drive from David Coulthard on the streets of Monte Carlo. Off-track Red Bull’s technical team was growing, engineers and designers with championship pedigree were recruited, among them Adrian Newey. The new chief technical officer had a reputation for innovation and five Constructors’ Championship titles to back it up.
This partnership delivered the first win in 2009 at the Chinese Grand Prix and it has never looked back.
The history of Red Bull Racing 2010
Drivers: Sebastian Vettel, Mark Webber
A staggering 15 races from the season’s 19 had a Red Bull on pole, with the car winning nine times. Four of the season’s races ended in a Red Bull Racing 1-2, with Vettel winning five races to Webber’s four, with three fastest laps each.
The team’s first win that year came in Malaysia with Vettel, with Webber taking victory in Spain and then the next race in Monaco. Vettel won in Valencia before Silverstone saw another memorable win for Webber. The 100th start for the team in Hungary was marked by Webber’s fourth victory of the year, which put him top of the drivers’ table. The battle with McLaren and Ferrari became hard-fought and the trio traded wins, before Vettel took victory in Japan. However a fourth 1-2 result of the year in Brazil saw Red Bull take the highest accolade; the Constructors’ Champions in only its sixth season.
The result in Brazil set up a four-way battle for the drivers’ title in Abu Dhabi between Alonso, Webber, Vettel and Hamilton. Vettel’s lights to flag win was enough to see him crowned the youngest-ever Formula One world champion.
2009
Drivers: Mark Webber, Sebastian Vettel
Major rule changes meant that Adrian Newey had more scope to do what he does best: innovate and revolutionise. The RB5 car delivered five poles and six wins, and helped the team become a title-challenging outfit for the first time. The team finished second in the Constructors’ Championship with 153.5 points, 18.5 points behind winners Brawn GP.
The first-ever Red Bull Racing-Renault win came in China. Vettel started from pole with Webber third, with both showing tenacity in testing, wet conditions to bring home a Red Bull Racing 1-2, with Vettel taking victory. The second victory came in Silverstone, with pole-sitter Vettel sealing his third-ever win and Webber crossing the line second. It would be Webber’s turn in Germany when he claimed his maiden F1 win. The podiums then came thick and fast, with one for Webber in Hungary and another for Vettel in Belgium. The pair then won the final three races between them, including a dominant win in Japan for Vettel. The final race of the season saw Vettel lead Webber home for the fourth 1-2 finish of the year.
2008
Drivers: David Coulthard, Mark Webber
Investment in the facilities at Milton Keynes doubled the capacity of the manufacturing facility and gave the team the tools and equipment needed to produce a reliable car. Coulthard scored the team’s third podium to date in Canada, and several points finishes saw the team make the midpoint of the season with 24 points – the same number achieved in the whole of 2007.
However from Silverstone onwards, Red Bull Racing took just five points from the final 10 races and, with a tally of 29 points, finished seventh in the Constructors’ Championship.
The car’s much-improved reliability meant optimism in the camp was high for the following season. The signing of Toro Rosso driver Vettel also whetted the appetite for 2009, after Sebastian had accumulated 35 driver points in 2008, including a pole and a win – the youngest man to do so.
2007
Drivers: David Coulthard, Mark Webber
The RB3 was the first design completely overseen by Adrian Newey and the first powered by a Renault engine. Glimpses of the RB3’s potential were visible throughout the season, with Webber securing eight top 10 finishes, including a third place in Germany, and Coulthard scoring a top-four finish, two fifths and an eighth place. The team finished in the top five in the Constructors’ Championship.
2006
Drivers: David Coulthard, Christian Klien, Robert Doornbos
Red Bull Racing’s second year was a season of consolidation, rather than a great leap forward as much of the season was typified by mid-table finishes for both drivers. Adrian Newey arrived as Chief Technical Officer and, by mid-season, focus switched to the 2007 chassis. However Coulthard secured the team’s first podium at Monaco and ultimately the team finished seventh in the Constructors’ Championship with 16 points – five points clear of the far more established Williams team.
Off track, Mark Webber was signed to drive from 2007 onwards and a partnership with Renault engines was announced from 2007. The significance was not lost on F1 fans, the Renault-Newey partnership had secured five Constructors’ championships in the 1990s.
2005
Drivers: David Coulthard, Christian Klien, Tonio Liuzzi
Red Bull Racing made its race debut just four months after its creation. Christian Horner joined as team principal from the immensely successful Arden F3000 team, while David Coulthard was hired to lead the team on the track. In that first season the second car was shared by two Red Bull junior drivers, Austria’s Christian Klien and Italian rookie Vitantonio Liuzzi. The new outfit made its competitive debut at the 2005 Australian Grand Prix, with both Cosworth-powered cars coming home in the points. The team went on to finish seventh in the Constructors’ Championship. Although a podium was to prove elusive, the team earned 34 points.
