Red Bull Racing: Do They Have the Experience to Win the F1 World Championships?

Red Bull Racing began the inaugural Korean Grand Prix in an emphatic manner, with Mark Webber topping the timesheets in Practice 2 on Friday.

In qualifying, Red Bull increased their odds of a race win with Sebastian Vettel leading his teammate in a one-two for the fourth time this season. The who’s who of Formula One, including Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso pronounced Red Bull as favorites to win the race on Sunday, but for some unfortunate, unforeseen circumstances. 

Unfortunate circumstances they were as the two Red Bulls went into self-destruct mode in treacherous, wet conditions on race day. Mark Webber was running in second place behind Vettel when he lost control and spun out of the track, colliding with a wall and Nico Rosberg in the process.

Sebastian Vettel joined his teammate in the pits soon when his Renault powered engine failed, allowing Fernando Alonso to take the lead and eventually go on to win the race. Ironic as it was, with the hullabaloo surrounding Alonso’s engine!

Unfortunate, agreed. But, were they unforeseen?

Red Bull Racing, formed in 2005 after replacing Jaguar, won their first race in China last year and are thus, new to being contenders for the world championship. The territory is unfamiliar, with Webber and Vettel also yet to win Formula One titles.

Red Bull have led the way since April this year, but momentum is a critical factor in any sport, and currently, it is Ferrari who have timed their sprint to the finish line perfectly with Fernando Alonso winning four of the last seven races.

Questions have been asked as to whether Red Bull and its drivers are experienced enough to contend for the crown(s). Despite having the fastest car this season, they have showed a lot of inconsistency. The Renault powered RB6 has proved to be unpredictable, the latest showing being Vettel’s retirement in Korea.

Adrian Newey, chief technical officer of Red Bull, has been credited with the improved performance of the chassis since his joining in 2006. The 2008 chassis was the most complex one to roll out of the Milton Keynes factory, and the 2009 one was considered a large step up, with Red Bull finishing a comfortable second in the Constructors Championship.

However, the 2010 RB6 designed by Newey and powered by a Renault RS27-2010 engine, has been plagued with problems ever since Bahrain. From spark plug problems, to brake problems, to engine blows, the car has been there, done that. It is to be seen whether Newey will hold things together till Abu Dhabi.

While the car has proved unreliable, Vettel and Webber have had their own moments, so as to say. Vettel, who was dubbed “The new Schumi” by the German media, was also dubbed “impetuous” after mistakes in Hungary and Belgium cost him likely wins. Webber, who is the more experienced and temperamental of the two, has fewer wins in Formula One than his young teammate.

Also, there is no love lost between the two after they infamously crashed into each other in Turkey. In the British Grand Prix, Webber claimed that Red Bull favoured Vettel after his new and updated front wing was detached and given to Vettel after the latter broke his during free practice.

Prior to Korea, with both Webber and Vettel still in the race for the Drivers Championship, Red Bull had been firm in their stance of not favouring one of the two, especially so, after knowing their dodgy relationship. However, team principal Christian Horner has said that he will review the situation after the Korea mishaps.

As a result of the double-retirement, Fernando Alonso finds himself 11 and 25 points ahead of Webber and Vettel respectively. Horner has accepted that team tactics might come into play in the final two races of the season.

Any team orders are likely to favour Webber as he is the best bet to beat Alonso as of now. But there is only a race win that separates Vettel and Alonso. Formula One has seen countless occasions in the recent past, where the title dramatically shifts its loyalties at the fag-end of the season.

Red Bull Racing have a lot to ponder over in the two weeks between Korea and Brazil. It is to be seen whether they will have the experience and the composure to prove their detractors wrong and fight it out until that final lap in Abu Dhabi. 

(This article was first published on http://www.isport.in)