Red Bull Racing News

[Anna]

Team Info

Base: Milton Keynes, UK
Team Principle: Christian Horner
Chassis: RB7
Engine: Renault
1st Driver: #1 Sebastian Vettel
2nd Driver: #2 Mark Webber
3rd Driver: Daniel Ricciardo
Website: www.redbullracing.com
Twitter: redbullf1spy
Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Bull_Racing

Statistics

Year Entered: 2005*
1st Grand Prix: 2005 Australian GP
Races: 121
Wins: 24
Pole Positions: 34
Fastest Lap: 18
Points: 1245.5
Drivers Championships: 1 (2010)
Constructors Championships: 1 (2010)
Current Championship Pos: 1st (491 Points)

Recent Championship Positions

2010: 1st (498 Points, 9 Wins)
2009: 2nd (153.5 Points, 6 Wins)
2008: 7th (29 Points, 0 Wins)
2007: 5th (24 Points, 0 Wins)
2006: 7th (16 Points, 0 Wins)
2005: 7th (34 Points, 0 Wins)

Driver History

David Coulthard (2005-2008)
Christian Klien (2005-2006)
Vitantonio Liuzzi (2005)
Robert Doornbos (2006)
Mark Webber (2007-Present)
Sebastian Vettel (2009-Present)

Engine History

Cosworth (2005)
Ferrari (2006)
Renault (2007-Present)

Notable Achievements

2009 F1 Drivers and Constructors Runners Up
2010 F1 Drivers and Constructors Champions

* Originally entered in 1997 as Stewart GP. Ford bought the team from Jackie Stewart in 1999 and the team ran under the Jaguar name from 2000 till 2004. Statistics do no include anything pre 2005

[Anna]

Italy 2011 - GP Preview - Red Bull Renault


Team quotes

Friday 2 September 2011 - 12h24, by Olivier Ferret
Sebastian Vettel: "Monza holds incredibly special memories for me, as it’s where I scored my first-ever F1 win with Toro Rosso in 2008. That’s something I will never forget - I had goosebumps standing on the podium with the fans below. The circuit is one of the most challenging of the season. It includes very long straights where we reach more than 320kph, making Monza the fastest track of the year. The track is not particularly physically demanding but, despite that, it is certainly not easy. Because of the long straights we drive with less rear wing than at other circuits, so the car can be more unstable; accelerating out of Parabolica is a balancing act and the smallest mistake could mean the car slipping into the gravel trap."

Mark Webber: "Monza is one of the best races of the year because the atmosphere is amazing with the Tifosi supporting Ferrari. There is an immense amount of history with the old banking still in place and the beautiful park where the Italian Grand Prix has been staged over the past 80 odd years. It’s the shortest Grand Prix we take part in, as we can knock the 300 kilometre race distance out very fast because of the exceptional average speed. You need a car that’s very quick on the straights and still manage to have sensible downforce for cornering. Unfortunately it’s the last European race of the season. We were spoilt with how good the race unfolded in Spa; let’s hope Monza is the same."

[r1ch91]

Red Bull extends Renault engine deal for another five years
By Jonathan Noble Friday, September 9th 2011, 10:13 GMT

Red Bull Racing has extended its engine partnership deal with Renault for a further five years, as AUTOSPORT predicted, meaning the two companies will continue working together until 2017.

Having originally begun their tie-up in 2007, the Red Bull Racing-Renault alliance helped deliver the world championship last year and is on course to add more titles this campaign.

The current Red Bull Racing deal ended in 2012, and the team had been close to extending it earlier this year before there was a late change in plans for when a new engine formula was being introduced in Formula 1.

The new deal will see more technical collaboration between Red Bull Racing and Renault, which will include KERS. Work will also be done together on developing innovative technical solutions for the new V6 engines that are coming into F1 in 2014.

Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner said: "We're obviously thrilled to announce this significantly enhanced agreement with the Renault-Nissan Alliance, who we have enjoyed a close working relationship with since 2007.

"Renault Sport F1 has always been very straight-forward to work with, which has been a contributing factor to the on-going success of the Red Bull Racing Renault partnership

Jean-Francois Caubet, Managing Director of Renault Sport F1, added: "The V6 power units due to be introduced from 2014 represent a huge undertaking and to have the input, resources and vast inhouse F1 car expertise of Red Bull Technology will help the team at Renault Sport F1 in Viry-Châtillon specify, design and develop a competitive unit from the start of the new regulations and optimize its structural integration into the chassis.

"Having this particular support will of course be to the advantage of our other team partners, who will indirectly benefit from the joint expertise of the Red Bull Racing and Renault Sport F1."

Renault will also power the Renault team, Williams and Team Lotus in F1 next year.

Red Bull Racing owner Dietrich Mateschitz said earlier this year that Renault was always its preferred option in terms of a long-term engine partner.

"We always tried to be associated with a big manufacturer," he told AUTOSPORT. "Renault will remain our first approach for a deal for 2013 and beyond."

[Anna]

Red Bull Renault


Sebastian Vettel: “It was an interesting day. It’s a track that traditionally doesn’t suit us, but we were happy with the car today. McLaren look very quick in particular and the ones to beat this weekend, but it’s very difficult to judge on a Friday as so many factors are involved. We had no problems today, so we’re satisfied.”

Mark Webber: “That was pretty good. We’ve got a lot to go through regarding downforce and gear ratios, it’s a pretty tricky venue in that regard. The two different tyre compounds are behaving pretty well, we did most of our work in P2 on the option tyre. We re-adjusted a few things following the camber setting guidelines for this race. Set-up here can be interesting, as it’s a compromise between grip for corning and straight-line speed. Seb and I ran different programmes today, so we’ll put that info together tonight.”

[Anna]

Red Bull Renault


Sebastian Vettel - P1: “It was an emotional win today. This circuit means such a lot to me and is very special. I had my first win here, so when I crossed the line I remembered every single bit of it. The podium is absolutely unbelievable here; when you stand up there you feel blessed, as it doesn’t happen to many people. There are so many people underneath and you can see them all coming, even from Curva Grande – it’s just unbelievable. This circuit has been tough for us for the last two years and so… to come back this year and win! The car was amazing in qualifying yesterday and in the race today it was even better. The start was not that good, Fernando was suddenly there and I didn’t know where he was coming from – it took me a while to see we were three going into Turn 1. I kept second place and then after the restart, I was able to pass Alonso. He didn’t give me much room there, but it was just enough, so it was very enjoyable. It was a great race for us. As it’s 150 years for Italian Unity also, I think it makes it special for every one here, so thank you to all the fans.”

Mark Webber - DNF: “I didn’t get the best start, me and Jenson were together, so I lost a few spots there. I think also Sebastian didn’t either, so there were a few different starts going on. Fernando made a phenomenal one. Then there was the restart after the safety car; I got a good one that time and managed to pass Jenson straight away. Then, on the next lap, I was lining up Felipe, breaking around the outside for turn 1, trying to get the inside line for turn two. I probably wasn’t quite far enough to get completely inside, but when I tried to come out of the move the kerbing on the inside is obviously pretty high; as soon as I touched that I unfortunately made contact with Felipe and that was that. I then tried to get back to the pits, trying to lose the minimum time possible, the car wasn’t too bad for the first part of the lap, but at some stage the wing got caught underneath, so I couldn’t turn the car or brake. I went straight out of Parabolica and that was the end of my race.”

Christian Horner, Team Principal: “A phemonenal race today. To win in Monza is a dream come true and it was a really dominant performance by Sebastian today. We had great pit work, strong strategy and Seb made a really brave overtaking move to retake the lead from Fernando after the safety car. Thereafter it was a very controlled and well executed race. Unfortunately Mark’s race came to a premature end after contact with Felipe Massa. The front wing was tucked under the car on the approach to Parabolica, when Mark was trying to get back to the pits as quickly as possible. It prevented him from being on the podium today, but I’m sure he will bounce back in Singapore. It was a great day for the team and a phenomenal result at a circuit which, on paper, wasn’t our best. Very sadly, we lost a team member earlier in the week, Erin Pezzella, a young lady who has been with the team for four years. She lost a very brave fight against cancer and we would like to dedicate this result in her memory today.”

Cyril Dumont, Renault: “I’m very pleased. To win the race already is something quite fantastic, but for an engine manufacturer to win Monza – well… that’s the race to win – so this victory has a very special taste for us. Also with the new agreement we have announced with Red Bull this weekend. We have worked with them for five seasons now and I think this partnership is something really solid. I think it was good race from Sebastian today, his pace was incredible. Unfortunately Mark’s race was too short; he had shown good enough pace to potentially finish on the podium. I would like to say thank you to all the people working at Renault and Red Bull Racing for this great result today.”

[Anna]

Singapore 2011 - GP Preview - Red Bull Renault


Team quotes

Thursday 15 September 2011 - 20h26, by Olivier Ferret
Sebastian Vettel : “We’ve had some good races in Singapore in the past, especially last year when we finished second, just behind Fernando. I love the track, it’s very challenging; there are a lot of corners, it’s very long, it’s hot and it’s a night race, so there are a lot of special things about Singapore. The car seems to be very competitive there, so I hope we can go back there this year and win – it would be very special. Looking to the Championship, there is still some way to go. We are in a very strong position, which we deserve because we’ve been working hard and made few mistakes. As long as we come out of the next race with a bigger lead then we start with, then we have done a good job, so let’s see.”

Mark Webber : “The Singapore night race is a challenging one. The track’s bumpy and although the 1500-odd lights do a good job at illuminating the circuit, it’s not like racing in daylight and that makes it tiring. It’s also the longest race of the year, running close to the two-hour time-limit set by the FIA, and the intense heat and humidity makes it pretty warm in the cockpit. You have to watch your hydration during the build-up to the race. I finished third at the Marina Bay circuit last year, but the track hasn’t been that kind to me in the past. I enjoy driving there, so I hope to nail it this year in much the same way that I nailed Valencia earlier this season. In the Championship, four of us – me, Fernando, Jenson and Lewis – are separated by just 14 points and none of us is going to give an inch.”

[kelli52]

Red Bull has extended its engine supply deal with Renault Sport for another five years and is set to work hand-in-hand with the manufacturer on the new 1.6-litre V6 turbo engine for 2014.

Renault's V8 and KERS generators will continue to power Red Bull over the next two seasons, with the press release adding that the new agreement would "reposition the relationship between Red Bull Racing and Renault to a premium technical co-operation".

The "premium technical co-operation" will result in Red Bull working closely with Renault on the 2014 powertrain, which will then be used by all the teams Renault Sport supplies. Managing director of Renault Sport F1 Jean-Francois Caubet explained the decision in more detail.

"The V6 power units due to be introduced from 2014 represent a huge undertaking and to have the input, resources and vast in-house F1 car expertise of Red Bull Technology will help the team at Renault Sport F1 in Viry-Châtillon specify, design and develop a competitive unit from the start of the new regulations and optimize its structural integration into the chassis," Caubet said. "Having this particular support will of course be to the advantage of our other team partners, who will indirectly benefit from the joint expertise of the Red Bull Racing and Renault Sport F1."

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is equally excited about the new deal.

"We're obviously thrilled to announce this significantly enhanced agreement with the Renault-Nissan Alliance, who we have enjoyed a close working relationship with since 2007," he said. "Renault Sport F1 has always been very straight-forward to work with, which has been a contributing factor to the on-going success of the Red Bull Racing-Renault partnership. Together we have so far achieved 22 wins, 32 pole positions, 1130.5 World Championship points and two World Championships. As the relationship moves forward, we intend to build on this and look forward to working with the Renault-Nissan Alliance during future Formula One World Championship campaigns."

President of Renault Sport F1 Bernard Rey added: "We are delighted that the Red Bull Racing- Renault partnership has been extended for a further five years, which will take us to a decade of collaboration. Red Bull Racing and Renault share the views that stability is a fundamental condition to perform at the top levels of competition. As well as being a unique opportunity to showcase the performance of the Renault engines at the highest possible level, it is also is a fantastic arena to develop the technology and expertise within the Renault-Nissan Alliance."

[Anna]

Newey could be late with 2012 car debut - Marko


As happened in 2009 and 2010

Sunday 16 October 2011 - 08h45, by GMM
Dr Helmut Marko, team owner Dietrich Mateschitz’s right-hand man on F1 matters, is not sure if the 2012 car project is on schedule.

Adrian Newey, the fabled designer of the winning Red Bull single seaters, has often been late to draw a line under a new car before its debut test.

The dominant 2011 car, however, was on time and present for the opening test of the pre-season.

"The basic concept is done by Adrian and I have not asked how far it is along or how it looks in detail," Marko told the Austrian Kleine Zeitung newspaper.

"That is for him and his technicians. Of course we want to be there at the first test but if he says there is still half a second to go then we will listen to him."

"That is what we did quite well in 2009 and 2010," added Marko, referring to Marko’s RB5 and RB6 cars that were launched late but went on to record a combined 15 grand prix wins.

After Sebastian Vettel’s title win in Japan a week ago, Red Bull is likely to wrap up the 2011 constructors’ world championship in Korea on Sunday.

"The constructors’ world title is also very important, as the premium payments are based solely on this," said Marko.

"For the title it is significantly more money than second place, and much more than a linear increase."

[Anna]

Abu Dhabi 2011 - GP Preview - Red Bull Renault


Team quotes

Friday 4 November 2011 - 19h38, by Olivier Ferret
Sebastian Vettel: "The track in Abu Dhabi is special - this will be our third grand prix there. The race starts at dusk and finishes at night, which means we have to drive with special helmet visors because of the different light conditions. The other factor is that we drive anti-clockwise. The track’s a bit like Singapore from the speed, but the asphalt is smoother. There are two special features - one is the passage under the Yas hotel, where else can you actually drive under your room! The second is the pit lane exit, which is also special. It’s partly underground and it feels like you’re coming out of an underground parking garage when you drive through it."

Mark Webber: "I’m really looking forward to getting to abu dhabi. although it’s not one of the most challenging venues of the season, with every real corner being second and third gear, it’s always a great spectacle. it’s a twilight race, so it looks amazing on TV. It’s another great opportunity for the team to get a very good result as the season comes to a close. The sun is always shining and the conditions are always beautiful, so that’s something to look forward to."

[r1ch91]

Team boss Christian Horner is sure Red Bull Racing can still improve
By Jonathan Noble Tuesday, November 29th 2011, 10:11 GMT

Red Bull Racing is in a better position to maintain its dominance of Formula 1 going forward than when it came into its back-to-back title-winning campaigns.

That is the view of Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner, who thinks that the challenge of keeping his outfit at the front of the grid in 2012 is made easier because of the progress it has made in the last 12 months.

"We know our rivals will not stand still, but what makes this title and retaining the title so special is that the calibre of opponents we are up against is so high," explained Horner.

"I think in all areas we have been the stronger team in 2011 than we were in 2010, and with continuity I am convinced we can still improve. The team is hugely motivated and, of course, although we don't know what the other teams are doing, there is reasonable continuity in the regulations.

"But nothing is assured. We will keep our heads down, keep working hard and hopefully turn up with a competitive RB8 in Melbourne in spring next year."

Horner is well aware that the manner of Red Bull Racing's strong 2011 will make its rivals even more determined to make big leaps forward in pace with their own cars next year - but he thinks his outfit is well placed to move forward too.

"I think we have defended the title better than we won it," he said. "The team has evolved and there are all the areas that you don't see behind the scenes.

"Reliability wise, even with the issues we had we still got the car to the end in Brazil. And bar a puncture or a tyre issue in Abu Dhabi, we have had complete reliability this year, which is a phenomenal achievement.

"To have scored 650 points in the Constructors' Championship is an incredible achievement, so hopefully we can build on what we have achieved and apply it into next year."

Although continuity in the regulations, and the fact that Adrian Newey has had more time to work on next year's car than he did this one, could pay dividends for Red Bull Racing, Horner insists the outfit is not taking anything for granted.

"I think obviously there are different challenges to next year. The exhaust layout is significant differently, we have pushed up until the chequered flag here in Brazil, and there are lessons that we have learned today that will apply even to next year's car.

"As usual Adrian is never early with his designs and that is exactly the same situation we are in now. But I am sure we will come out of the blocks well in 2012."

[Anna]

2011 end of term report – Red Bull Renault


650 points, World Champion

Friday 30 December 2011 - 15h02, by Sandrine Bouchard
Reaching the top is not an easy task, but staying on top is probably even harder. Red Bull Racing kept its expectations in check at the beginning of the year, too aware that it could struggle to retain its number one in the constructors’ championship. However, the 2011 season turned out to be even better for the Austrian team which dominated the championship.

Season review

The RB7 was unveiled at Valencia on the 1st of February. Adrian Newey defined it as an evolution of its predecessor, the RB6. Nonetheless, it featured a blown exhaust which raised a few eyebrows. It was also equipped with a KERS designed and developed in-house – which later appeared to be the Achille’s heel of the RB7. But the car was so well-born that it was not a massive problem. It won 6 of the 8 first races of the season.

The RB7 excelled in qualifying and started on pole 18 times out of 19. It was usually less dominant in race conditions and particularly struggled in Great-Britain where it suffered from the blown exhaust clampdown. After the summer break, however, Vettel resumed his sprint towards the title and won three races in a row: Belgium, Italy and Singapore. Such was his domination that he took the title in Japan. The team was crowned at the next round in Korea.

In addition to an excellent level of performance, the Milton Keynes-based team also enjoyed an impressive level of reliability. It was a massive improvement compared to what happened in 2010 and explains why Sebastian Vettel could build such a gap in the standings. RBR recorded two retirements this year: one for Vettel at Abu Dhabi – caused by a puncture – and one for Webber in Italy – driver mistake.

Last but not least, the reigning World Champions performed extremely well in the pits. Its tyre changes were most of the time the fastest of the whole pitlane… a testament to the hard work and skills of the crew.

Conclusion

Not only did Red Bull Racing improve in sheer performance, but it also erased most of the mistakes it made in 2010. As a result, it enjoyed a much better season in 2011 and brilliantly defended both titles. The RB7 was competitive on every type of circuit and was extremely reliable. Sebastian Vettel managed to make the most of it to dominate the drivers’ World Championship.

He took 15 pole positions and 11 wins while Mark Webber added 3 poles and 1 win to RBR’s tally. First and third in the drivers’ championship, both men contributed the team’s success in the constructors’ championship.

The Austrian team success on track has led to more controversy surrounding the legality of some of the RB7 components as well as the team’s budget. It was accused of breaking the RRA, something Christian Horner vehemently denied. The matter was investigated by the Formula One Teams Association.

Expectations

Stability has been key to RBR success in the past three years. The same group will remain in place, with a car still designed by Adrian Newey. The reigning World Champions will be the obvious favorites despite the ban of the blown exhaust systems. But one can expect Newey to find the perfect answer to the regulation changes…

Highs
RB7 competitive and reliable
18 pole positions
Constructors’ World Champion with three races left

Lows
KERS problems at the beginning of the season
A few mistakes

Nextgen-Auto.com marks:
Olivier Ferret : 19/20
D.Thys : 19/20
Sandrine Bouchard : 19/20
Jean-Michel Setbon : 19/20
Average marks on the forum Nextgen-Auto.com : 19/20
Total : 95/100