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One of the most painful problems for Red Bull has been the packaging part and for Mark Webber, it has been a thorn in his progress over the last four seasons, so much so that he quit Formula 1 altogether. RB10 does suffer cooling issues and Red Bull, as stated earlier in the article, have resorted to desperate steps to ensure that cooling doesn’t pose a problem.
“To be behind at the season’s start does not necessarily mean you lost the championship already, you still have a chance after a few bad races in the beginning.” – Dietrich Mateschitz
Although Red Bull have denied this, some of their problems could be attributed to the fact that Red Bull’s key personnel were poached by their rivals. Despite these staff members leaving the team after only a few months into the season, the team could have possibly put some of them on Garden Leave, and maybe this has impacted their progress?
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“The current problems arose from the engine side and not from our team, which still has the high-level know-how it needs” – Dietrich Mateschitz on Red Bull’s woes after the end of first test.
Nevertheless, this lean period will be a testing time for at least three key figures in this Austrian team, and if they emerge successful out of this phase, they’re going to be hailed by the masses. These are the three key figures:
Sebastian Vettel: I’ve lost count of the number of people who were really desperate to see Vettel in this situation. People often pointed out that Vettel’s success is due to the car rather than his sheer talent, and this quadruple champion often received no respect for his achievements. People wanted to see Vettel in the midfield and battle his way to the top.
This lean phase of the team will eventually benefit Vettel though, as he could earn the respect of the masses by showing his talent and skills when the car is looking down. This phase will refresh people’s memory of the fierce German who once impressed the fans while stepping into the cockpit for the injured Kubica back in 2007, and also with a gritty drive to the top step of the podium as a back-marker in 2008 at Monza.
“We didn’t do as much running as we would have liked in testing this year, so we have work to do in Melbourne, but it will be good to get to the first race. It’s hard to know where we are; it’s fair to say that we’re not the favourites to win and we have to catch up with others that have completed more mileage, but we’ll do our best with the great people that we have working for the team. We have achieved a lot together and I know everyone is working flat out as normal.” – Sebastian Vettel
Daniel Ricciardo: ‘The Smiling Assassin’ has to perform at the earliest, and he has so far received lukewarm response from the critics for the Red Bull drive that he earned. For someone who is just into his third season, with a best finish of seventh, probably finishing on the podium itself will be a huge accomplishment. So far he has been on a roll with his media presence, issuing statements about everything, but it’s high time that he lets his driving do the talking.
Ricciardo has got the right temperament and charisma to be a world champion, and although some people might not agree with the situation that he’s in at this moment, it could serve Ricciardo as a blessing in disguise. Red Bull are quadruple champions, and for a team of this stature to be struggling with this kind of form, Ricciardo has to continue do his normal driving. That would lift the pressure off him, as no one expects podiums from this Austrian team just yet. If Ricciardo can see through the chequered flag, and match his team-mate’s pace, bigger things will eventually come his way.
Adrian Newey: No one questions his talent, and it doesn’t matter if Newey can find a solution to Red Bull’s woes from his side – he would still be regarded as a legend. This obviously is a testing phase for the genius, but he has shown his skills on numerous occasions, and if he finds a way out for these teething issues, Newey could end up in a league of his own.
The final cut:
At the end of the day, the first few races are often regarded as extended testing sessions, so even if Red Bull doesn’t squeeze into the podium in this period, it wouldn’t mean that the dream run is over. As long as Newey is in the boat, as long as Vettel steers the ship, and as long as Horner makes the calls, Red Bull shouldn’t be regarded as a sinking ship. Their problem is not entirely down to them, and this is a big sign for the rivals, and they know it.
If Renault can weave their magic wand, and get to the bottom of these reliability issues, they would be doing a great favour to their customers. The biggest X-Factor for Renault has been the efficiency of its engines, and despite not being a powerful supplier, they have been undisputed champions of the sport and are an integral part to the success of Red Bull.
By Bala Yogesh
