Red Bull Racing Team

Red Bull Racing has had three distinct identities, having been born as Stewart Grand Prix in 1997. Jackie Stewart won three World Championships as a driver before retiring in 1973. When son Paul decided to try his hand at racing in 1987, Jackie helped him to set up Paul Stewart Racing. The team gradually expanded to run other drivers in F3 and F3000 with considerable success. Looking for a way into GP racing, the Stewarts pulled off a coup when they persuaded Ford to support their planned team. Stewart GP made its debut in 1997, and after just a few races Rubens Barrichello scored a stunning second place in the rain at Monaco. In 1999 Johnny Herbert scored a memorable wet win in Germany. That year the team was acquired by Ford, and was rebranded as Jaguar for the following year, with Eddie Irvine hired as main driver. Over the next five seasons the team struggled to make an impact, and Ford decided to cut its losses. At the end of 2004 it was sold to Red Bull and renamed. David Coulthard was hired as main driver and continues in that role today. He was joined from last season by Aussie mark Webber. The arrival of top designer Adrian Newey at the end of 2005 provided a major boost.

Red Bull RB4

The RB4 marks the second Red Bull built and designed under the lead of Adrian Newey. As is usual with his designs, the first one, the RB3 was a completely new car, yet it had to be built in a very short timespan. The RB4 is a logical evolution to an already fast car that mainly suffered from reliability problems. The car was launched in a low key event at Jerez on 16 January. At that time, the car was only mechanically changed and still looked almost identical to the RB3. It did however contain the new gearbox which is required to last 4 races. We expect that developing that gearbox may have taken a considerable amount of time after the 2007 specification was one of the main worries of the RB3, which on its behalf was one of the least reliable cars. During the next winter tests however, the team displayed, among other parts, barge boards with jagged edges, a tailfin engine cover and modified sidepod air intakes.

Thanks to the recruitment of Geoff Willis, Red Bull's technical team was strenghtened and marked the reunion of Newey and Willis as they had worked together at Williams on some of the most succesful single seaters in Formula One.

Christian Horner, the team manager commented at the launch: “Last year was a year of evolution, with the first Adrian Newey designed car. This year is the first in the team’s history that we have continuity in all key elements: staff, drivers and engine partner. We go into this season on the back of a year in which our performance improved and there is a real sense that we are operating efficiently as a team, having come a long way since Red Bull’s initial investment back in 2005. Prospects for 2008 are encouraging and we are looking to make a step forward from where we finished last year. It is an extremely competitive field and the new challenge of running a common ECU with no driver aids will hopefully play into the hands of David and Mark, who certainly enjoyed the experience in testing of running without traction control and engine braking.

“There has been a strategic investment in the facilities at Milton Keynes, doubling the capacity of our manufacturing facility, which I believe puts us on a par with any team in Formula One. The infrastructure of the team has grown and we now have the right tools and equipment in place. And with the key recruitment of Geoff Willis as Technical Director last summer, we are now working as a cohesive group.”

Specifications

Chassis

Composite monocoque structure, designed and built in-house, carrying the Renault V8 engine as fully stressed member

Transmission

• Seven-speed gearbox, longitudinally mounted with hydraulic system for power shift and clutch operation.
• Clutch: AP Racing
• Wheels: OZ Racing, Front: 12.7in x 13in, Rear: 13.4in x 13in
• Tyres: Bridgestone
• Front suspension: Aluminium alloy uprights, upper and lower carbon wishbones and pushrods, torsion bar springs and anti roll bars, Multimatic dampers
• Rear suspension: Aluminium alloy uprights, upper and lower carbon wishbones and pushrods, torsion bar springs and anti roll bars, Multimatic dampers
• Brakes: Brembo calipers / Hitco carbon discs and pads
• Electronics: FIA (MESL) standard control unit
• Fuel: Elf

Engine

• Renault engine RS27 - 2008
• Number of cylinders: 8
• Capacity: 2400cc
• Max rpm: 19,000rpm
• Weight : 95kg
• Spark Plugs: Champion
• Battery: Renault F1 Team
• Number of valves: 32
• Vee angle: 90 degrees
• Power output: Not disclosed
• Engine construction: Cylinder block in cast aluminium
• Engine management: FIA (MESL) standard control unit TAG310B
• Oil: Elf
• Weight: FIA minimum weight of 95kg

Official Site

RedBull Racing.Com