When Red Bull first revealed their RB11 in its eye catching camouflage testing livery they told us the final look for 2015 would be just as awesome. Yeah, not really chaps, you’ve just moved a few bits around from the 2014 car, taken some stripes away and made the purple a bit brighter.
Anyway, here’s what the 2015 Red Bull Racing F1 car will look like. Let’s hope Daniel Ricciardo can get across the line first a few more times this year too.
Day one of Formula 1 pre-season testing is currently underway in Jerez and without any fanfare or launch of any kind Daniel Ricciardo simply wheeled out of the pits and drove onto the circuit.
And with that the 2015 RB11 was revealed. Well, kind of.
As you can see, for reasons best known to them, Red Bull has chosen to run with a temporary camouflage livery. They do say that, obvious nose change aside, most changes to the car compared with the RB10 have been made under the skin.
Outwardly Red Bull has been rushed in its preparation of the RB11 and has only just had its chassis’ crash tests approved. Team boss Christian Horner is downplaying any such talk, of course.
“We’ve been pushing to the limit as usual,” Horner said. “We had a very tight timescale for the car to be prepared in time for the first test, but that’s normal in this team.
“If you’re not on the limit you’re not trying hard enough.”
Daniel Ricciardo is keen to build on his stellar 2014 season and is itching to get back on track.
“There was plenty of pressure on me last year to prove myself in a top team,” Ricciardo said. “I think everyone knows now what I’m capable of so I’m excited—excited to build on what we achieved in 2014 and ready to give Mercedes a good fight.”
Young Daniel will be joined by an even younger Daniil this year and the expectation will be that D1 is faster than D2. We look forward to seeing how this intra-team rivalry pans out.
Sebastian Vettel has dropped a bombshell by informing Red Bull Racing that he will be leaving the team at the end of this season. It’s expected this will be the first of a number of high profile moves in the Formula 1 driver market this coming off season.
Fernando Alonso is tipped to leave Ferrari for the new McLaren-Honda outfit and it is widely expected that Vettel will drive for Ferrari in 2015. At this stage neither of these movements have been confirmed.
Vettel is contracted with Red Bull for 2015 and is understood to have activated a special release clause to end the deal early.
Meanwhile, Red Bull has announced that current Toro Rosso driver Daniil Kvyat will be promoted to drive alongside Daniel Ricciardo with Red Bull next season (see statement below). Kvyat has impressed during his rookie season and on paper he is perhap the biggest winner following Vettel’s departure.
[Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]
The 2014 Formula 1 season is almost upon us. This we know by the recent car launches, but also because the 2014 Toro Rosso F1 car, the STR9, was unveiled to the media at the Jerez circuit ahead of tonight’s first official test session.
And we’re sorry to report it’s another long and droopy anteater nose for F1. At least the STR9’s dark blue paint scheme tends to mask that fact to some degree.
As well as the major aero changes forced upon teams in 2014, Toro Rosso is switching from Ferrari power to Renault. Technical Director James Key says this adds to the challenge: “Changing your engine partner is always a bit of a step into the unknown for both parties, until that working relationship is established and everyone understands how best to operate together.”
The Toro Rosso press release points out that the team is independent to Red Bull Racing, although the switch to Renault power means there will be greater opportunity to share knowledge.
“Immediately, there’s a synergy there because we are using the same power unit,” added Key. “We’ve been able to join with Red Bull Technology in using their gearbox internals. They have a well-engineered solution to 2014 regulations for these components, so again, it makes sense for us to join with them in using those common internals while running the same power train.
“Otherwise, obviously, the rest of the car is entirely an STR design.”
You can read and see more after the break, including access to the team’s full 2014 press kit.
It’s been a busy few weeks for 19-year-old Daniil Kvyat. He’s scored a new job as a Formula 1 driver with Toro Rosso for 2014, wrapped up the GP3 championship and has now qualified for an FIA Super Licence.
That last achievement came thanks to a special “filming day” test organised for Kvyat so that he can take part in Friday testing for Toro Rosso at the final two races on the F1 calendar in the United States and Brazil.
A Toro Rosso team statement reads: “On Friday, the Russian who is now the 2013 GP3 champion, drove a two year old Scuderia Toro Rosso Formula 1 car, an STR6 at the Misano circuit in Italy, as part of a filming day organised by the team. He racked up 102 laps, equivalent to around 402 kilometres and thus qualified for the necessary paperwork required by the FIA for him to compete in Formula 1.”
So now any conspiracy theorists wondering if Mark Webber will be relieved of his Red Bull duties sooner than expected—allowing both Kvyat and Red Bull-bound Daniel Ricciardo an early start in their new rides—can rest uneasy knowing that Kvyat is qualified to race.
[Source: Toro Rosso | Pic: Toro Rosso/Getty Images]
Red Bull Racing has been forced to deny rumours that this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be Mark Webber’s last race.
There are suggestions that Webber’s admitted lack of motivation has prompted moves from Red Bull to give Mark an early exit. This would allow new drivers Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull) and Daniil Kvyat (Toro Rosso) to make early starts with their new teams by racing in the United States and Brazilian Grands Prix.
Although not attributed to any specific person, German publication speedweek.com says Red Bull told them: “Mark Webber will drive the last three races for us.”
Also weighing in on the topic is Toro Rosso team Principal, Franz Tost, who said: “I think it’s nonsense, and I know nothing about it … Anyway, Daniil has no super licence, so how can he race?”
Kvyat is scheduled to participate in Friday practice at Austin and Sao Paulo. He will test a 2011-spec Toro Rosso car in the coming days so that he qualifies for an FIA super licence. In theory, then, the 19-year-old Russian could race in the closing two races of the year.
Let’s hope Mark isn’t shafted by Red Bull one last time and he gets the opportunity to enjoy his final three races.
[Source: Perth Now | Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]
Young Russian driver Daniil Kvyat will replace our Daniel at Toro Rosso in 2014. The 19-year-old is part of the Red Bull Junior Driver Programme and has been spending 2013 racing in the GP3 and Formula 3 categories.
Kvyat drives for the Mark Webber–Christian Horner outfit, MW Arden, in the GP3 series and is currently seven points behind Facu Regalia in the chase for the drivers’ title. There’s one race meeting to go, in Abu Dhabi, and Kvyat will be hoping he can progress to Formula 1 with a championship in his kit bag.
Toro Rosso Team Principal, Franz Tost, says Kvyat is ready to graduate to the senior class. “He impressed our team with a strong performance and very informative technical feedback at the young driver test in Silverstone,” he said. “This suggests that the basic qualities from which he can progress are all in place. Daniil can be sure that we will use all our experience of training youngsters to give him the best possible start to his Formula 1 career.”
Like most youngsters Kvyat has harboured F1 ambitions throughout his career and is excited at the challenge ahead. “This is fantastic news, a dream come true and I want to thank Red Bull and Toro Rosso for giving me this priceless opportunity,” Kvyat said. “Ever since I began karting, I wanted to get to Formula 1 and now that wish will become reality next season.”
We’d like to think the fact the Russian Grand Prix is set to make its debut on the 2014 F1 calendar had nothing to do with this decision, but we’re too cynical for that.
GP3 is a relatively new series, its debut season was in 2010. Kvyat becomes the fourth driver to move from GP3 to F1 and follows the path of new teammate Jean-Eric Vergne, as well as Esteban Gutierrez (Sauber) and Valtteri Bottas (Williams).
Vergne will no doubt be pleased to learn that he has kept his F1 dream alive and will continue with Toro Rosso in 2014.