Red Bull Racing and Vettel - 2013 F1 World Champions

Infiniti Red Bull Racing have won their fourth consecutive World Constructors’ Championship, securing the title after drivers’ Sebastian Vettel won the 2013 Formula 1 Airtel Indian Grand Prix.

The fourth Constructors’ Championship for the Austrian Formula 1 outfit based out of Milton Keynes in the United Kingdom comes at the same time as their driver Sebastian Vettel also clinched his fourth consecutive World Drivers’ Championship.

Infiniti Red Bull Racing has powered Sebastian Vettel to all four of his Formula 1 Drivers’ World Championships, an accomplishment which puts the young World Champion on par with Alain Prost, just one Championship away from tying Juan Manuel Fangio and just three behind all time World Championship leader Michael Schumacher.

Red Bull Racing originated when the drinks manufacturer purchased the Jaguar Racing team from owners the Ford Motor Company for a symbolic $1 million USD. Christian Horner was employed as the team boss and drivers David Coulthard and Christian Klien would start for the team’s inaugural season in 2005. The team scored points on a consistent basis and would occasionally challenge for a podium finish.

In 2006 the Red Bull outfit changed from Cosworth power to Ferrari power and finishing the season in 7th on the World Constructors’ Championship table, the team was starting to demonstrate its long-term ambition and presence in Formula 1.

2007 saw the debut of the Adrian Newey designed Red Bull RB3 which would be powered by Renault, a change of engine supplier announced by the team midway through the 2006 season. Mark Webber was also signed by the team to drive alongside David Coulthard, replacing Christian Klein. Finishing the season fifth in the World Constructors’ Championship, Red Bull continued their climb to the top.

David Coulthard announced his retirement from Formula 1 at the end of a mediocre 2008 season for Red Bull where the team fell behind again to finish seventh in the Constructors’ standings. With the need for change, youngster Sebastian Vettel, who had showed promise in years’ before, was signed to race alongside Mark Webber for the 2009 season.

Having an immediate impact for the team, both Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull Racing would finish second in the World Drivers’ and World Constructors’ Championship of 2009; second only to Brawn GP and their driver Jenson Button.

For the 2010 season, Red Bull Racing retained drivers’ Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, and have been the dominant team in Formula 1 ever since. Red Bull Racing’s first Constructors’ World Championship came in 2010 after both drivers combined for a total 498 points, beating McLaren-Mercedes to the top by 44 points.

2011 would prove even more successful – Sebastian Vettel would win 11 of the total 19 races of the season, and with Mark Webber’s help too, the team would win the 2011 World Constructors’ Championship with a total 650 points, a huge 153 points ahead of second placed McLaren-Mercedes.

Total dominance of the sport continued through 2012 when Red Bull beat Ferrari to the Championship by 60 points scoring a total of 460 World Championship points. Once again star driver, and now three times World Drivers’ Champion Sebastian Vettel ruled the race calendar, scoring 281 of the championship points himself.

2013 has been no different to the previous three years. Red Bull Racing have proven their strength and control over the sport from the first race of the calendar where Sebastian picked up where he left off in the last season; on the podium as the chequered flag fell in Australia. Sebastian Vettel has already won 11 races this season, and most recently 6 in a row (Belgium through India) putting Red Bull Racing well ahead of rival teams Mercedes and Ferrari, ranked second and third respectively.

Infiniti Red Bull Racing finish the Indian Grand Prix with 470 points making them mathematically impossible to catch by their rivals and securing them the 2013 Formula 1 World Constructors’ Championship. Sebastian Vettel has 322 points. Two races remain on the 2013 Formula 1 in the United States and Brazil where the season will come to a close.
Red Bull will use the off-season to finalise developments of their 2014 challenger where substantial rule regulation changes, as well as a driver line-up change for the first time since 2009, will provide new opportunities as well as new challenges for the team both on and off the track.