SUMMARY
- Red Bull RB19, engineered by Adrian Newey, dominated the 2023 season.
- The Red Bull RB2 struggled with poor downforce and an unreliable gearbox despite Newey's involvement.
In recent times, Red Bull has been one true force to reckon with. Formula 1 cars are the pinnacle of speed as well as accuracy, pushing past the limits of engineering. These special vehicles, designed for the racetrack, are significantly superior to regular road-legal cars. Nonetheless, the F1 cars, particularly the Red Bull RB19, stand out remarkably as compared to the rest on the grid.
This very car, constructed by engineering genius Adrian Newey, broke some of the major records in 2023. While the Austrian outfit won the championship title with a massive 860 points, Mercedes was trailing behind at a mere 409 points. The winning streak created by the reigning champion Max Verstappen and Red Bull remains unmatched. However, the team did not always enjoy its glory days.
Here are some of the worst Red Bull cars in Formula 1 history.
Red Bull RB2 (2006)
Although it was the team’s first fully developed car under the ownership of the energy drink company, the 2006 RB2 was also their least successful model. Ironically, it was produced the same year when Newey joined the team, but he was just too late. The British technical officer deemed the car as one with “poor downforce, handled poorly, and had an unreliable gearbox.”
Red Bull was struggling to get the most from the car’s performance, while Newey had his sights on the future. Due to overheating issues that plagued early testing, the bodywork had been altered at the expense of speed. In reality, Red Bull ended up dumping the contract with Toro Rosso and acquiring a Renault supply since there were no meaningful upgrades for the Ferrari engines.
Red Bull RB3 (2007)
The following year was the first ever season where the car was built under the keen eyes of Adrian Newey. However, despite transitioning from Ferrari to Renault engines, it faced limited luck. The RB3’s performance was not any different and lacked consistency. On several weekends, it struggled even though it demonstrated speed, particularly during damp weather.
2007 SPAIN
David Coulthard, Red Bull-Renault RB3, Catalunya #F1 pic.twitter.com/gsTNgekzLd
— Motorsports in the 2000s (@CrystalRacing) April 26, 2023
The assessment made by the expert team indicated upgrades were hampered by accuracy concerns. Failures continued even with a strong mechanical and aerodynamic basis. This poor-performance car managed to secure points only in six races throughout the entire season.
Red Bull RB11 (2015)
In the 2014 season, the Milton Keynes-based team did relatively well under the V6 turbo hybrid era. However, they failed to carry it over to the next season. As it turned out, the root cause of the issue was their engine. Renault not only fell short of the anticipated performance boost but it was also unreliable. There were obvious driveability concerns and a lag in engine development, particularly during early 2015.
Beyond the setup barriers that were caused by power defects, the car also had additional flaws. Additional mid-season adjustments were required to bring the vehicle up to the much-required speed. Drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat were unable to make the cars any better even with their skills.
Red Bull RB12 (2016)
In 2016, the Red Bull RB12 finally secured the runner-up spot. However, it comes in contrary to the 300-point gap with Mercedes, who were living their dominant era at that time. It came with a mere two wins that year. The 2015 model of the RB12 was improved upon, primarily in the front end’s makeover.
Tomorrow @Max33Verstappen takes place in the Red Bull RB12 for testing. Surely he needs to get used to the car 😅👍🏻 pic.twitter.com/RJIPqiUvi7
— F1Maximaal.nl (@F1Maximaal) May 17, 2016
Moreover, it had an improved Renault energy source that, by the conclusion of the season, reduced the distinction with Silver Arrows. Due to a mistake during a pit stop, Ricciardo came just short of winning in Monaco, but this improvement allowed the vehicle to win twice. Although the team witnessed a few improvements, they still lagged behind the champions at that time, Mercedes.
Red Bull RB13 (2017)
After the RB11, the next few cars were more or less the same. But in 2017, Red Bull faced a pivotal moment with the introduction of higher-downforce cars. The team foresaw great potential in this move, but it ultimately proved to be an enormously wasted chance. The RB13 won only three races throughout the campaign.
The lagging Renault engines plagued the team while aerodynamic woes added to their troubles. Things became worse as the cars widened from 1.8 meters to two meters. As a result, the machine lacked stability and had to function with less downforce to make up for the power loss. Despite a few successes, the RB13 remained far from posing a serious threat to the championship title.