Oliver WhiteRed Bull Racing this morning launched their 2008 challenger, the RBR4. In now typical Red Bull fashion, the low-key unveiling took place at Jerez ahead of the final two days of testing, with a simple ceremony in the pitlane. The RBR4 is the second to come from the drawing board of Adrian Newey, an aerodynamicist who rose to fame with his championship winning Williams and McLarens. In 2007, the team experienced terrible reliability with the RBR3, mostly centred around the gear box and causing both drivers numerous retirements. However, 2008 sees good continuity within the team, retaining both drivers, the Renault engine and key engineering and development staff.
The RBR4 features the now common-place bridge nose spanning the front wing, but aside from this obvious detail it appears as though little else has changed. The RBR3 was competitive when it managed to keep all its gears together, so hopefully this performance has been transferred over the the new machine. And 2008 being the second year with Newey, this is his first car which he will have had complete control over. Providing the reliability issues can be resolved, Red Bull Racing could be taking another small step forwards this upcoming season.
The livery remains much the same with the now typical navy blue with pin-stripe highlights running down the monocoque, complete with Red Bull logo over the engine cover and nose cone.
The biggest thing for us this year is the continuity. We have the same engine, we have the same drivers, and we have the same technical staff. All the engineers that David [Coulthard] and I worked with are the same, so that’s going to help us come Sunday afternoon. Mark Webber.
Photographs Of The RBR4
You would think of all the teams, Red Bull would be the ones with the most glamorous launch party but this year is quiet again!
Hard to tell from the pics how the car compares to the others though, hopefully they will release some studio shots as well…
Keeping my ear to the ground and my eyes peeled, Craig.