Red Bull’s journey in Formula 1 began with the purchase of the struggling Jaguar Racing team at the end of 2004. Instead of keeping things as they were, they completely transformed the team, bringing in new energy, a new brand identity, and a clear ambition for success. The new team kept Jaguar’s facilities and base in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England, but changed management by appointing a key figure who would lead the squad for the next two decades: Christian Horner. The young British manager (32 at the time), after a modest career as a driver, hung up his helmet at the age of 25 to focus on a career in management. In 1997 he founded Arden International, an F3000 team, where Horner himself raced for one season. In 1998 he met Helmut Marko, who would later become his close collaborator at Red Bull, before selling his team at the end of the season to Dave Richards’ Prodrive. A year later, Horner bought the team back from Richards, and over the next three years he won both the constructors’ and drivers’ titles. first with Czech driver Tomáš Enge, then with Swede Björn Wirdheim, and finally with Italian Vitantonio Liuzzi, whose manager at the time was none other than Helmut Marko. At that point, Horner tried to make the jump into Formula 1, seeking a deal to purchase Eddie Jordan’s team. After being turned down by the Irish manager, Horner was quickly snapped up by the newly formed Red Bull Racing as Team Principal, just eight weeks before the start of the 2005 season.
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| RED BULL RB1, David Coulthard Imola, San Marino GP 2005 |
The first car of the newborn Red Bull Racing team was the RB1, which was essentially the car Jaguar Racing had designed for the 2005 season. The RB1 was officially unveiled at the Jerez Circuit in Spain on February 7. It was not a completely new car, as it was heavily based on the Jaguar R5 from 2004. However, Red Bull’s influence was already visible, both in the car’s design and in the team’s attitude. The team’s new Technical Director was Briton Mark Smith, who had joined from Renault where he had been Chief Designer. Another addition was fellow Briton Andrew Green, who came from BAR to take on the role of Head of R&D-Testing and Vehicle Dynamics at Red Bull Racing. From Jaguar’s staff, Bob Taylor (Chief Designer), Ian Pocock (Engineering Director), and Greek aerodynamicist Ben Agathangelou (as Head of Aerodynamics, an increasingly crucial role) were all retained.
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| RED BULL RB1, David Coulthard Melbourne, Australian GP 2005 |
The RB1 was fairly traditional and conservative, only partly diverging from its Jaguar predecessor, though it did feature some distinctive elements. The nose was particularly high off the ground, with a spoon-shaped, curvy front wing, very similar to Renault’s. The side panels, as well as the system of deflectors behind the front wheels, followed the old car’s layout and drew inspiration from Ferrari’s dominant 2004 machine, especially in the shark-tooth-shaped flow diverters underneath. The sidepod intakes were very similar to Jaguar’s, while the rear section was quite different, abandoning the unusual R5 exhaust system in favor of a more traditional design with long fins, chimneys, and exhaust fairings. The chassis stood out for its raised ride height, aiming to maximize downforce. The engine cover was slightly modified: while retaining the square air intake inherited from the R5, a small aero profile was added around the roll-bar area. The RB1’s livery, of course, showcased Red Bull’s classic colors, dark blue as the base, yellow on the nose and engine cover featuring the brand’s two iconic red bulls, and gray/red/blue stripes running along the car. The “Red Bull” logo in bold red adorned the sidepods. A special livery appeared in Monte Carlo to promote the film Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, with the entire pit crew dressed as Imperial Stormtroopers.
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| RED BULL RB1, David Coulthard Montecarlo, Monaco GP 2005 |
The car was powered by the Cosworth TJ2005, a 2,998 cc V10 inherited from Jaguar (the official Ford team), capable of delivering up to 915 hp at 19,000 rpm, paired with a longitudinal semi-automatic sequential gearbox built by Red Bull. For its debut season, Red Bull relied on experienced British driver David Coulthard, a proven performer with Williams and McLaren, and paired him with two young talents, Austrian Christian Klien and Italian Vitantonio Liuzzi (both under Helmut Marko’s wing), who alternated in the second car. Reserve drivers were American Scott Speed and Swiss Neel Jani. At the season opener in Australia, on the Melbourne street circuit, the team surprised everyone: in qualifying Coulthard was fifth and Klien sixth, and in the race the Briton finished fourth while the Austrian came seventh, scoring points on the team’s Formula 1 debut. It was a stunning result, especially compared to Jaguar’s disappointing 2004 season, and undoubtedly the perfect way to announce themselves to the world of Formula 1.
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| RED BULL RB1, Christian Klien Istanbul, Turkish GP 2005 |
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