The 2009 F1 Challengers: The Red Bull Racing RB5

[Ed]

On the 9th of February, the Red Bull Racing team unveiled their 2009 F1 challenger at the Jerez circuit. The team is aiming to challenge for wins this season. The car is designed by Adrian Newey. Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel will be driving for the team in 2009.


more images below


A press statement by the team read:

Red Bull Racing's 2009 car, the RB5, made its track debut this morning at the Jerez de la Frontera circuit in southern Spain. If they start giving out championship points for beauty, then the season seems to have got off to a good start as the RB5 is definitely a pretty little beast.

This morning, Sebastian Vettel nosed the new car out of the garage into the pit lane and suddenly the countdown to Melbourne seems to have picked up speed.
"It's good that we got the car running without any major problems, but it's much too early to say anything about performance," commented Seb after completing a handful laps before lunch. "Now we are concentrating on checking all the systems, which are very different to those on last year's car. It's good to be back in a racing car again and I feel as though we are on the way to Australia now. It was a strange feeling when I looked in my mirrors, as you don't see anything behind you, no ings or other bits: all you see is the rear tyres and it looks very naked. The view from the front is different too, because of the shape of the nose, but I'll get used to it very quickly".

On hand to watch RB5's maiden outing were Chief Technical Officer, Adrian Newey and Team Principal, Christian Horner. "Today's run here in Jerez is the culmination of months of work for all the Red Bull Technology and Red Bull Racing staff, back at base in Milton Keynes," said Horner. "And like any new car launch it's a moment of excitement and speculation. This year will see us benefit from greater stability in terms of how we run the operation, with all our key players in the technical group having been with us for at least two years and we should not forget they designed a car that won a Grand Prix in 2008, in the hands of Sebastian Vettel. There is no reason to believe we cannot do that again with these new rules.
We're excited about our driving pairing: Mark's making a great recovery from his broken leg in a very short space of time and the injury has had minimal impact on his preparation for the season. In Sebastian we've got one of the sport's most exciting young talents and he will be looking to build on his very impressive rookie season."

"2009 arguably sees the biggest rule change for around twenty years," said Newey. "We have taken a clean sheet, blue sky approach, looking at the implications of these rules and how to interpret them, while not changing things simply for the sake of change. Apart from the gearbox internals, there is hardly any carry over from RB4."

Testing continues for the rest of today, Vettel will drive tomorrow then, on Wednesday, it will be Mark Webber's turn to get his hands on RB5. "I thought I'd let Seb do the boring installation laps and the running-in," joked the Australian.
"Wednesday's run will be as much a test for me as for the car, as it will be my first go in an F1 car since I broke my leg. My fitness programme is bang-on course for Melbourne and this test is a stepping stone on the way to being fighting-fit for my home race. The car looks fantastic and I'm looking forward to driving it."





related:
Low-key launch for new Red Bull
Glitch halts new Red Bull's debut
Webber had leg surgery last week

[Julian Mayo]

now, THAT is a chaff cutter.............

[GhoGho]

Another delicate looking Adrian Newey design. lets hope it's not as fragile as some of his other creations.

I know not to read too much into it, but early test times look very promising

[Julian Mayo]

The chaff-cutter ran 83 laps without a hiccup, with Mark at the wheel.......

[Jim Watt]

I'm with Julian on this one! This looks like a winner. wouldn't it be great for F1 if the Webbo finally gets himself a competitive ride!! and with Seb V. as a partner we could see a Red Bull Front row down under.

Jim Watt

[Julian Mayo]

I'm with Julian on this one! This looks like a winner. wouldn't it be great for F1 if the Webbo finally gets himself a competitive ride!! and with Seb V. as a partner we could see a Red Bull Front row down under.

Jim Watt

....................................Ah.........perchance to dream

[JayVee]

I think Red Bull have to recover from what was a very bad year last year when they where beaten by Toro Rosso. The car looks good and it is typical of Newey to make a good car after a bad one. They could be a threat to the top 4.

It is good to see Webber recovering nicely and I hope he does really well this year.

[Julian Mayo]

I think Red Bull have to recover from what was a very bad year last year when they where beaten by Toro Rosso. The car looks good and it is typical of Newey to make a good car after a bad one. They could be a threat to the top 4.

It is good to see Webber recovering nicely and I hope he does really well this year.

Was last years car all Newey? Or did he inherit most of it?..................It is quite possible I have lost a year here or there...........

[Julian Mayo]

An interesting concensus in the voting......................... That is not like us !!!!!

[GhoGho]

I think Red Bull have to recover from what was a very bad year last year when they where beaten by Toro Rosso. The car looks good and it is typical of Newey to make a good car after a bad one. They could be a threat to the top 4.

It is good to see Webber recovering nicely and I hope he does really well this year.

Was last years car all Newey? Or did he inherit most of it?..................It is quite possible I have lost a year here or there...........

I think last years was a Newey creation, but was very fragile in the early part of the season with front suspension failures, even getting a lot of unwelcome attention from Charley Whiting! Maybe it was designed too close the limit like he did on a couple of McLaren models.

I think the big difference is the new regs have meant that we could see some very different approaches to the design.
These differences will of course eventually become smaller as the ideal solution becomes apparent, and is adopted by the different designers.
Lets hope for Red Bull (and their fans) that the Newey ideas are indeed better and that it takes the rest of them a while to adapt.

[Julian Mayo]

Thanks. Yup there are usually different ways of tackling a problem. Then I go and find someone who knows the right way..........

[GhoGho]

Thanks. Yup there are usually different ways of tackling a problem. Then I go and find someone who knows the right way..........

Be carefull, Ferrari may have you in court before you get to use it!

[Julian Mayo]

Thanks. Yup there are usually different ways of tackling a problem. Then I go and find someone who knows the right way..........

Be carefull, Ferrari may have you in court before you get to use it!

LOL

[Jim Watt]

Julian wrote: An interesting concensus in the voting......................... That is not like us !!!!! & I agree.
Maybe it's because it's been so long since we had a race to argue about.

I have to say that although my initial response to the new regs (and cars) was not very positive, the closer it comes to the start in Australia, the more excited I am getting --and the more I like the idea of a season full of surprises.

I hope that neither Ferrari or McLaren will simply have a 'lock' on things this season --and if BMW/Sauber don't find a way to undo all their progress and RBR & Renault also keep their momentum, we could even have another new WDC again this year!

That said, I'm hoping the Kimster regains his form --& not at all satisfied that his problem last year had to do with difficulties warming his tyres for qualification owing to the car's tendency to understeer (or was it oversteer? I can't recall). I even wondered, at one point, if he was simply not in good physical shape.

It's certainly true Jay Vee's enthusiasm for the handsome Spaniard was justified and he was probably without question the most exciting driver of the year just past.

It's hard to decide about the current WDC; he's certainly a brilliant driver and worthy champion, but I do wish he'd be a little less corporate and a little more ... i don't know ... balanced? I mean being competitive doesn't have to mean being an automaton. Lewis isn't even as exciting as Felipe! Now Lewis, like Felipe is a good man, but they both rather remind me of Rubens: a brilliant racer when everything is perfect, but not one to MAKE the race his, not one to stake everything on a single opening.

At the beginning I thought Lewis might be another Michael Schumacher --but he doesn't have Michael's killer instinct (which made Ayrton, too, so formidable). Granted, this results in embarrassing moments, like the Rascasse Car Park, but I'm willing to forgive drivers this good just about anything they do on the course.

I like Kimi's determination, Fernando's elan and young Vettel's smile and heavy foot. And I would love to see Webber pressing for the podium with a car that won't let him down. I shd mention, too, that I hope we see the Pole on the Pole at least once this year. He's a driver that, for reasons not clear to me, reminds me of dear old Nige: raggedy, slightly crazed and totally fearless --not to mention fast fast fast!

sorry. I'm getting myself short of breath. need to calm down.

wait to see how the testing shakes out ... if they can ever get the weather to cooperate!

cheers Jim Watt

[JayVee]

I think Red Bull have to recover from what was a very bad year last year when they where beaten by Toro Rosso. The car looks good and it is typical of Newey to make a good car after a bad one. They could be a threat to the top 4.

It is good to see Webber recovering nicely and I hope he does really well this year.

Was last years car all Newey? Or did he inherit most of it?..................It is quite possible I have lost a year here or there...........

By memory, Newey joined Red Bull in early 2006 so the majority of the 2007 car was his and of course the 2008 and 2009 cars. It was a feeling that Newey alternates good car bad car good car .... remember the MP4-18 that never raced!!

Not to take anything away from Newey, his is a brilliant designer, but the stats for the last 10 or so years are very much against him.
Since he joined McLaren in 1997 until leaving them in 2006, McLaren won the title once (98) and the drivers twice (98 and 99)!!
With Red Bull the team finished 7th the year he joined scoring less than half the points scored the previous season. The following year they moved up to 5th but last year they dropped back to 7th.
I hope Newey will prove the stats wrong this year as I think Webber and Vettel will be a great pair to watch and they will be pushing each other very hard and so they really deserve to be near the front.