Red Bull RB7 explained

Car Name:Red Bull RB7
Category:Formula One
Constructor:Red Bull
Predecessor:Red Bull RB6
Successor:Red Bull RB8
Drivers:1. Sebastian Vettel
2. Mark Webber
Technical Ref:[1]
Chassis:carbon-fibre and honeycomb composite monocoque, designed and built in-house, carrying engine as fully stressed member
Front Suspension:Aluminium alloy uprights, carbon-composite double wishbones with springs and anti-roll bar, push rod-actuated Multimatic dampers
Rear Suspension:as front, except pull rod-actuated rear dampers
Engine Name:Renault RS27-2011
Capacity:24001NaN1
Configuration:90° V8, limited to 18,000 RPM with KERS
Turbo/Na:naturally aspirated
Engine Position:mid-mounted
Power:>750 hp @ 18,000 rpm[2]
Gears:Seven-speed semi-automatic gearbox with reverse gear
Type:Hydraulic system for power shift and clutch operation
Weight:6400NaN0
Fuel:Total
Tyres:Pirelli P Zero
OZ Wheels (front and rear): 13"
Debut:2011 Australian Grand Prix
First Win:2011 Australian Grand Prix
Last Win:2011 Brazilian Grand Prix
Last Event:2011 Brazilian Grand Prix
Races:19
Wins:12
Poles:18
Fastest Laps:10
Podiums:27
Cons Champ:1
Drivers Champ:1 (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.

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 2011 Italian Grand Prix and when Sebastian Vettel retired from the 2011 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

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.

On 4 February 2023, the Red Bull RB7 was used by New Zealand Formula 2 driver Liam Lawson to make a demonstration lap of the Mount Panorama race track in between practice and qualifying sessions for the 2023 Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour.[8] [9]

Complete Formula One results

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

YearEntrantEngineTyresDrivers12345678910111213141516171819PointsWCC
Red Bull RacingRenault RS27 V8AUSMALCHNTURESPMONCANEURGBRGERHUNBELITASINJPNKORINDABUBRA6501st
Sebastian Vettel11211 1212421 1 131 1Ret2
Mark Webber543244333352Ret3434 4 1

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Red Bull RB7 Renault . f1technical.net . 16 September 2016.
  2. Web site: RB7 . redbullracing.com . 2 August 2022.
  3. News: RB7 LAUNCH DATE ANNOUNCED . . 20 January 2011 . 16 September 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110123013634/http://www.redbullracing.com/cs/Satellite/en_INT/Article/RB7-Launch-Date-Announced-021242949958471?refmod=ContentFeed&refmodpos=A1 . 23 January 2011.
  4. News: Driver line-up set for first F1 test of 2011 . Keith . Collantine . F1 Fanatic . Keith Collantine . 29 January 2011 . 31 January 2011.
  5. News: Weaver . Paul . Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel enjoys perfect day with Kinky Kylie . . 28 March 2011 . en.
  6. News: Red Bull now Renault's works team – Horner . . 14 September 2011 . 22 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230216153547/https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-red-bull-now-renault-s-works-team-horner/411557/ . 16 February 2023 . live.
  7. News: Lotus buys Renault stake as legendary F1 name doubles its presence . CNN . 8 December 2010 . en.
  8. News: Leeuwen . Andrew van . Lawson to drive Red Bull F1 car at Bathurst . . 27 January 2023 . en.
  9. Web site: Kiwi star Liam Lawson to drive Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 car at Bathurst . Bathurst 12 Hour . 6 February 2023 . en-AU.