Red Bull RB7

Red Bull RB7
Sebastian Vettel driving the RB7 at the Italian Grand Prix
CategoryFormula One
ConstructorRed Bull
Designer(s)
  • Adrian Newey (Chief Technical Officer)
  • Rob Marshall (Chief Designer)
  • Steve Winstanley (Chief Engineer, Composites and Structures)
  • Dave Worner (Chief Engineer, Mechanics and Suspension)
  • Mark Ellis (Chief Engineer, Performance)
  • Giles Wood (Chief Engineer, Simulation and Analysis)
  • Peter Prodromou (Chief Engineer, Aerodynamics)
  • Dan Fallows (Chief Aerodynamicist)
PredecessorRed Bull RB6
SuccessorRed Bull RB8
Technical specifications[1]
Chassiscarbon-fibre and honeycomb composite monocoque, designed and built in-house, carrying engine as fully stressed member
Suspension (front)Aluminium alloy uprights, carbon-composite double wishbones with springs and anti-roll bar, push rod-actuated Multimatic dampers
Suspension (rear)as front, except pull rod-actuated rear dampers
EngineRenault RS27-2011 2,400 cc (146.5 cu in) 90° V8, limited to 18,000 RPM with KERS naturally aspirated mid-mounted
TransmissionSeven-speed semi-automatic gearbox with reverse gear Hydraulic system for power shift and clutch operation
Power>750 hp @ 18,000 rpm[2]
Weight640 kg (1,411 lb) (including driver)
FuelTotal
TyresPirelli P Zero
OZ Wheels (front and rear): 13"
Competition history
Notable drivers1. Germany Sebastian Vettel
2. Australia Mark Webber
Debut2011 Australian Grand Prix
First win2011 Australian Grand Prix
Last win2011 Brazilian Grand Prix
Last event2011 Brazilian Grand Prix
RacesWinsPodiumsPolesF/Laps
1912271810
Constructors' Championships1 (2011)
Drivers' Championships1 (2011, Sebastian Vettel)

The Red Bull RB7 is a Formula One racing car designed by the Red Bull Racing team for the 2011 Formula One season. It was driven by defending champion Sebastian Vettel and Australian driver Mark Webber for the third year running. The highly competitive and reliable RB7 took 12 victories and 27 podiums as Red Bull took the Constructors' Championship and Vettel taking the Drivers' Championship title that year.

Season summary

The car was launched at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain on 1 February 2011.[3] Sebastian Vettel was the first driver to test the car.[4]

The car was fastest throughout Barcelona testing with Vettel at the wheel. It won the first race of the season at Melbourne with Vettel, whilst Webber finished fifth. In the nineteen races of the 2011 season, the RB7 only failed to finish in the top five twice, when Mark Webber crashed out of the Italian Grand Prix and when Sebastian Vettel retired from the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Vettel leads Webber during the Italian Grand Prix; the former would go on to win the race

Vettel used the RB7 to claim the 2011 World Drivers' Championship in Japan and Red Bull won the World Constructors' Championship the following weekend in South Korea. The car achieved three 1-2 finishes during the season. It is one of the most dominant Formula One cars ever built, winning 12 of the 19 races and claiming all but one pole position in the 2011 season, in part due to the innovative but controversial exhaust-blown diffuser.

Sebastian Vettel, who (since joining Scuderia Toro Rosso) makes a habit of naming his cars, named his RB7 chassis Kinky Kylie.[5]

The RB7 was the first Red Bull car to assume Renault full-works team partnership status[6] after the Renault F1 Team was rebranded to Lotus Renault GP and later Lotus F1 Team following Renault's sale of their 25 percent stake in the team to Lotus Cars in late 2010.[7] The RB7 was also the first-ever KERS-equipped Formula One car to win the constructors' title.

Later uses

After the 2011 season, the RB7 was frequently used in demonstrations and rewrapped in different liveries throughout the years:

Complete Formula One results

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Engine Tyres Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Points WCC
2011 Red Bull Racing Renault RS27 V8 P AUS MAL CHN TUR ESP MON CAN EUR GBR GER HUN BEL ITA SIN JPN KOR IND ABU BRA 650 1st
Germany Sebastian Vettel 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 2 4 2 1 1 1 3 1 1 Ret 2
Australia Mark Webber 5 4 3 2 4 4 3 3 3 3 5 2 Ret 3 4 3 4 4 1

References

  1. ^ "Red Bull RB7 Renault". f1technical.net. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  2. ^ "RB7". redbullracing.com. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  3. ^ "RB7 LAUNCH DATE ANNOUNCED". Red Bull Racing. 20 January 2011. Archived from the original on 23 January 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  4. ^ Collantine, Keith (29 January 2011). "Driver line-up set for first F1 test of 2011". F1 Fanatic. Keith Collantine. Retrieved 31 January 2011.
  5. ^ Weaver, Paul (28 March 2011). "Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel enjoys perfect day with Kinky Kylie". The Guardian.
  6. ^ "Red Bull now Renault's works team – Horner". Motorsport.com. 14 September 2011. Archived from the original on 16 February 2023. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  7. ^ "Lotus buys Renault stake as legendary F1 name doubles its presence". CNN. 8 December 2010.
  8. ^ Leeuwen, Andrew van (27 January 2023). "Lawson to drive Red Bull F1 car at Bathurst". Autosport.
  9. ^ "Kiwi star Liam Lawson to drive Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 car at Bathurst". Bathurst 12 Hour. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
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Awards
Preceded by Autosport
Racing Car Of The Year
2011 		Succeeded by