F1
Max Verstappen's Canadian Grand Prix win doubled as the team's 100th victory in Formula One – hear from the team's stars of the past and present as they reflect on an historic milestone.
In his fifth year at the helm of the team, in April 2009, Oracle Red Bull Racing's Christian Horner remembers being alone with his thoughts on a long-haul flight between Shanghai and Europe. Red Bull Racing had just won a Grand Prix for the first time with a 21-year-old Sebastian Vettel.
"When we got that first victory, I remember being on the plane on the way home thinking, 'Well, at least we won one if nothing else happens'," he says. "And then, of course, you get hungry for more."
And 'more' wouldn't take long to arrive.
I don't think any of us could have ever imagined or dreamed what lay ahead of us
Max Verstappen's victory at the Canadian Grand Prix was the 100th for the team since it debuted in Australia 19 years ago. It was cause for celebration once again – Oracle Red Bull Racing has won all eight Grands Prix held so far in 2023 – but doubled as a trigger for Horner to become reflective.
"It's been an amazing journey from the very beginning," he says. "That first victory in China back in 2009... I don't think any of us could have ever imagined or dreamed what lay ahead of us, so to be standing here 99 wins after that first one – to achieve our century – is incredible."
Red Bull Racing's achievement is not just incredible, to recycle Horner's adjective – it's historic. Verstappen's Montreal march to the top step saw the team become just the fifth F1 constructor to reach a century of victories, along with Ferrari (242), McLaren (183), Mercedes (125) and Williams (114). It's a who's who of F1 history, one where Red Bull Racing has now won 27 percent of the races it has entered.
01
Red Bull Racing's wins by Grand Prix
If you're going to go big in F1, you may as well go biggest at the sport's most famous race. Here's where the team's 100 Grand Prix victories (so far) have been won.
Red Bull Racing's 100 F1 wins have been shared among five of the 12 drivers who have competed in a race for the team since its inception in 2005; Verstappen (41 wins), Vettel (38), Mark Webber (9), Daniel Ricciardo (7) and Sergio Pérez (5).
02
Verstappen equals Senna
Verstappen's latest victory created some personal history, too: his 41st F1 win saw him draw level with three-time world champion Ayrton Senna in the sport's record books. From the first moment he raced for the team – in Spain in 2016, where he romped to a remarkable win – he's revelled in being a central point of so much of Red Bull Racing's F1 story.
To have won already this amount of races is something incredible, but of course I don't want it to stop here
"From when I was a little kid – and that continued into F1 – you never know where it's going to end up," Verstappen muses. "To have won already this amount of races is something incredible, but of course, I don't want it to stop here – 41 percent, it's not too bad!
"My first win for the team in my first race, that was incredible – I think everyone was a bit shocked, including myself. Winning our first world championship together [in 2021], for me that was very emotional. And the job we’re doing this year, it's really enjoyable to be part of the team."
03
The legends remember
The 1-2 punch packed by Verstappen and team-mate Pérez in modern-day F1 sees the sport's fans remember the first signs Red Bull Racing was emerging as an F1 force, when Vettel teamed with Mark Webber to share the team's first 47 victories, the German great winning four straight titles from 2010-13.
It was very exciting, obviously very good and fond memories
"I remember the very first one in China – I believe I cut my thumb lifting the trophy after the race!" Vettel laughs. "It was very exciting, obviously very good and fond memories. I think race win 101 is also coming and 102. I'm very happy for the team."
Webber, for his part, says being part of the early days of the road to 100 wins is something he holds dear.
100 GP victories is something that I think, even in our most optimistic and wildest dreams, would be something that would be quite a challenge
"Those first few victories for the team were very special – on a personal front, huge memories for me as well," the Australian says.
"Given the level of competition, you never know with Formula One how easy it would be to have such an incredible run of results. So 100 GP victories is something that I think, even in our most optimistic and wildest dreams, would be something that would be quite a challenge."
Pérez came to the team in 2021 after a decade as a rival with three other F1 outfits, and the Mexican has proven to be a master of street tracks, all five of his victories with Red Bull Racing coming on road courses – and one in particular sitting atop all others.
What they've done in a short history is really impressive... when you work here, you realise why
"My win in Monaco [2022] really stands out for me… that and the 1-2s we've done with Max, and just having a good time with the team," he says.
"I'm so happy and proud to be part of this amazing team. What they've done in a short history is really impressive… when you work here, you realise why."
04
From 0 to 100
It took 75 races for Red Bull Racing to win its maiden Grand Prix – with Vettel in China in 2009 – and in the 356 races since the team debuted in Australia in 2005, the big milestones have often come in a rush, but occasionally slowed to a trickle.
Here are the timespans on every 10-win jump on Red Bull's journey to 100.
The journey to 100 wins has hardly been linear – as our table above illustrates – which, for Ricciardo, back with the team in 2023 as the third and reserve driver, makes acknowledging and celebrating them all the more important.
It takes a lot of work to get there and you never want to take any of them for granted
The Australian achieved seven victories for the team at a time when Mercedes were otherwise dominant, and knowing how hard wins can be to come by in the fallow years makes the good times all the more rewarding.
"One hundred sounds like a big number – of course, it is – but it takes a lot of work to get there and you never want to take any of them for granted," Ricciardo reasons. "As long as they're all being celebrated – it is business, but you should certainly celebrate the moments because they won't last forever. I see the team doing a lot of that at the moment, and it's good to see."
It's a sentiment Horner wholeheartedly agrees with, as the push towards new frontiers begins at the forthcoming Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring (June 30-July 2).
"We had the winning years between 2010-13 and then we had the tough years, but we never lost sight of our goal and objective," Horner says.
"It's something our whole team should be incredibly proud of because it's not just what happens trackside, it's what happens behind the scenes that have created these amazing cars and statistics."
05
The top 10, in pictures
Picking your favourites from Oracle Red Bull Racing's 100 F1 victories is like admitting you love some of your children more than others, but here are 10 that stand the test of time for all sorts of reasons.
.png)
