From its inception in 2005, Red Bull Racing has grown from being Formula One’s biggest disruptive forces to become one of the most successful teams in the sport’s history, with 122 victories, eight Drivers’ and six Constructors’ titles. And as it enters its third decade at the pinnacle of motorsport the Team’s maverick spirit and relentless will to win remain unchanged.
Led by Team Principal and CEO, Christian Horner, the Team arrived in F1 with a bang, scoring a double points finish on its track debut and causing a stir off-track with a work hard-play hard mindset that won many friends and admirably ruffled a few feathers.
But it was the race hard ethos that ensured progress and, with renowned designer Adrian Newey on board, the Team began an upward curve that led to its first victory and first 1-2, at the 2009 Chinese Grand Prix, with new recruit Sebastian Vettel leading team-mate Mark Webber across the line.
Five more wins would follow in 2009, but the breakthrough was only a prelude for the dominance to come. In 2010 both Seb and Mark vied for title glory, but it was Seb who took the title in a dramatic final-round showdown to become F1’s youngest champion. The Team also brought home its first Constructors’ title. It sparked a remarkable period of dominance for the Team as it went on to secure three more consecutive double title wins with Seb leading the way throughout.
However, the introduction of hybrid power in 2014 resulted in a reordering of the grid and a fallow period during which Seb departed. A new generation of talent came through, led by Australia’s Daniel Ricciardo. Two years later the Team welcomed another gifted young racer to the fold in the shape of Max Verstappen and the Dutch driver stunned the paddock by winning his first race with the Team, the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix.
Wins were still sporadic and it wasn’t until the arrival of Honda power in 2019 that the stars aligned and at the end of an epic 2021 season Max won his first title at the last round, in Abu Dhabi.
Regulation change was again in the air and, for 2022, radically different ground effect cars were introduced. The Team made the most of the opportunity, however, and RB18 proved to be the class of the field. Sergio (Checo) Pérez, who had joined in 2021, won in Monaco and Singapore but it was Max’s victories that brought him a second world title and, with Checo, helpedearn Oracle Red Bull Racing its first Constructors’ title win in nine years.
If RB18 was impressive, its successor made history. The all-conquering RB19 not only took the Team to its sixth Constructors’ title win, and Max’s third on the bounce, it smashed F1 records in every area, completing the most successful season in the sport’s history.
Max carried that historic form into 2024 and the Dutchman won seven of the first 10 races. Rivals were closing the gap, however, and as the summer unfolded new challengers rose to the top. Max was able to maintain his charge and he claimed a fourth straight Drivers’ title at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, but the Team missed out on the Constructors’ title.