Red Bull

Welcome back to the final instalment of my Team History section. I sincerely hope you've enjoyed reading about the teams just as much as I have writing them, I also hope you discovered something you didn't know and that your Formula 1 knowledge is boosted!

As I draw this to a close it's important to state that after a long winter, we have finally come to the start of the 2013 season! Engines will start in Melbourne very soon and I pray we have an exciting season just like last year.

My blog this week is about the current stars of the F1 paddock and depending on your cynicism and naivety, this success can either be attributed to one individual or another. Never shared. But as most F1 stories, success did not happen overnight, where did it all begin for Dietrich Mateschitz Red Bull team?

STEWART GRAND PRIX

First Entered: 1997

Pole Positions: 1

Race Wins: 1

Points: 47

Constructors Championships: 0

Drivers Championships: 0

The Red Bull success story starts with a father-son business in the form of three time world champion Sir Jackie Stewart and his son Paul. The early form of the team was poor but in a rain effected Monaco Grand Prix, Rubens Barrichello managed a second place finish, but this proved to be a success from the elements as the feat was not achieved again until their final season when Barrichello took them to another three podiums. For a short lived and small team, they can boast a one race win from the European Grand Prix when Johnny Herbert after he inherited the win following multiple race incidents. 

JAGUAR RACING

First Entered: 2000

Pole Positions: 0

Race Wins: 0

Points: 49

Constructors Championships: 0

Drivers Championships: 0

Stewart's engine supplier Ford bought the team off the father-son duo and renamed the team after the British sports car manufacturer, a move which boosted Jaguar's sales and popularity. Even though they scored more points, Jaguar never achieved that race win, and they certainly had the talent to do it with Eddie Irvine and Johnny Herbert driving for them. Current Ferrari test driver Pedro de la Rosa had a race role with the team, achieving point finishes. 

This would also mark the first time when Mark Webber would join what would become his current team.

INFINITI RED BULL RACING

First Entered: 2005

Pole Positions: 46

Race Wins: 34

Points: 1864.5

Constructors Championships: 3

Drivers Championships: 3

The current crop of glory boys first joined F1 in 2005, and unlike most debuting teams they scored a double points finish. Fan favourite David Coulthard was the lead driver right up until his retirement which saw him paired up with Mark Webber for a few seasons.

The Milton-Keynes team was headed by Christian Horner since Red Bull re-branded Jaguar and was key to organising the early success, but the next two points are the debate about where the true success and glory comes from.

F1 genius Adrian Newey joined the team in 2006, the year which coincidently saw them grab their first podiums. It wasn't long until the momentum started picking up. Podiums became race wins, race wins accumulated to runners up in 2009, then 2010 saw them complete the double, a trend which has continued right up until the season gone by. 

RB9

The next point is about to cause a whole load of controversy  but I'm never one to shy away from the truth. 2009 saw the first race win, thanks to Sebastian Vettel the man who has since dominated the sport.

Why has he dominated? Be under no illusion, it's not all down to him. Puppet boy is only doing a job whereby you need to be able to handle a Formula 1 car. If you were to strip away any advantage and give a stock car to him and any other driver, I guarantee you you'll see just how average Vettel is. Why the disdain for Seb? I hated his dominance in 2011. People would retaliate with "Schumacher done the same." Well my reply to you sir/madam: "Schumacher was not a hateful little git despite what you may think." The seven time world champion did also not throw his toys out of the pram like our current world champion.

No matter what you think, Red Bull are a quick team, and something tells me their dominance is about to continue. But I cannot bring myself to accept the fact that puppet boy will fluke another four championships to bring himself level to Schumi, or even beat him. That would be disastrous for my love for the sport. This season, they have a lot more resistance and I don't he can make it to four.

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Mercedes

Welcome back to my one-off blog documenting the past history of the current Formula 1 teams on the grid today!

This later than normal post involves one of the oldest team names in the history of Formula 1. The Silver Arrows have been competing since the 30s, enjoying a very successful first few years. After that they withdrew from the sport, only to supply engines to teams. But the current team has had a very dynamic background.

DAIMIER-BENZ 

First Entered: 1954
Drivers Championships: 2

Mercedes entered under the name Daimier-Benz for the 1954 and 1955 seasons, and endured unparalled success winning both of the drivers championships with the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio. However after a Mercedes disaster in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1955 (which resulted in 80 spectator deaths) forced the remainder of the Formula 1 season to be cancelled, and Mercedes felt the need to pull out of the sport entirely.

Tyrrell

First Entered: 1970
Pole Positions: 19
Race Wins: 23
Points: 617
Constructors Championships: 1
Drivers Championships: 3





In absolutely no relation to the team already mentioned, Tyrrell was a team set up by Ken Tyrrell and endured many great successes in the early years. But like the trends back then, this soon faded away. The team can boast a great number of drivers who entered the cockpit such as Jean Alesi, Jody Scheckter and Francois Covert. The greatest success was Scotland's favourite racing legend and three time World Champion Sir Jackie Stewart (although he only won one here). 

The team does have a certain accolade that many say will be forever untouched. They are the only team ever to have won a Grand Prix with a six wheeler car! An innovative design that was soon abandoned.

SIX WHEELS?!?!?!

BAR 


First Entered: 1999
Pole Positions: 2
Race Wins: 0
Points: 227
Constructors Championships: 0
Drivers Championships: 0




British American Racing (BAR) took over as main sponsor for the Tyrrell team from 1999 onwards exclusively becoming BAR. The team had big ambitions and landed World Champion Jacques Villeneuve to drive for them. This marked the first time a car had emerged from the Brackley facilities. Their ambitions often became annoying, stating they were already an excellent team and that they could win a race in their first ever season.  Between three drivers, they only managed to finish 11 races, with a rookie driver completing a finish before Villeneuve. The 2000 season was a big improvement but their real successes did not start occurring until Jenson Button joined in 2003. His following season saw a peak performance which seen the Brackley team grasp 2nd in the Constructors Championship.

HONDA


First Entered: 2006
Pole Positions: 1
Race Wins: 1
Points: 106
Constructors Championships: 0
Drivers Championships: 0







In their debut season, Honda acquired Rubens Barrichello to race alongside Button, a line-up which continued right the way through to the next incarnation. Button achieved his first ever win in 2006 which remained the teams only win. In 2008, the team gave up on their current season to focus on the brand new rule changes for 2009. However, Honda pulled the plug and withdrew from motor racing. The team had no idea what to do, or where the future lies. Fortunately, team principle Ross Brawn reacted quickly.

BRAWN GP


First Entered: 2009
Pole Positions: 5
Race Wins: 8
Points: 172
Constructors Championships: 1
Drivers Championships: 1



The BGP 001 has to be the most beautiful car ever created in F1. Untill 2012, the 2009 season was my favourite ever purely because of the excitement of this team. From the ashes of Honda, Ross Brawn managed the impossible and the team still holds the 100% record for winning both world championships. It was the best season because of the euphoric highs at the beginning, the devastating lows when they got brought back to earth and of course the amazing in team rivalry between Button and Barrichello. I was quite annoyed when Mercedes bought them over because I absolutely loved the team and car, and to be perfectly honest I don't feel the same love for Mercedes AMG.

Mercedes

First Entered: 2010
Pole Positions: 1
Race Wins: 1
Points: 521
Constructors Championships: 1
Drivers Championships: 3


The greatest thing about the new look Mercedes was the re-introduction of God himself, Michael Schumacher. Yes, he didn't have the greatest of comebacks, so what? He had nothing to prove to anyone. He came back because he loves the sport. He doesn't care what anyone thinks. He got bored and came back. What a champion.

The current reshuffle of the Mercedes staff is a real pickle but on track they appear to have things sorted after hiring Lewis Hamilton from McLaren. The question is how and when are they going to impact? And where does Ross Brawn go? I would not like to be a Mercedes fan at the minute, you guys have a mountain to climb. Good luck.