Automotive

Red Bull rips the covers off title defender RB7

Red Bull rips the covers off title defender RB7
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The RB7 takes to the track for the first time at the hands of the youngest-ever world champion, Sebastian Vettel.
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The RB7 takes to the track for the first time at the hands of the youngest-ever world champion, Sebastian Vettel.
Red Bull driver Mark Webber and the man who designed the RB7, Adrian Newey.
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Red Bull driver Mark Webber and the man who designed the RB7, Adrian Newey.
Vettel enters the office for the first time in 2011
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Vettel enters the office for the first time in 2011
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Mark Webber
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Mark Webber
Vettel exits the garage at Valencia
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Vettel exits the garage at Valencia
Vettel exits pit lane at Valencia
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Vettel exits pit lane at Valencia
Vettels' vehicle
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Vettels' vehicle
Vettels' vehicle
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Vettels' vehicle
It's a completely different profile to 2010
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It's a completely different profile to 2010
Sebastian Vettel
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Sebastian Vettel
Focused activity in the Red Bull garage
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Focused activity in the Red Bull garage
The driving position explained by Vettel.
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The driving position explained by Vettel.
The RB7 specifications
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The RB7 specifications
The RB7 changes explained by Newey
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The RB7 changes explained by Newey
The 2011 RB7 steering wheel explained
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The 2011 RB7 steering wheel explained
The 2011 pit crew set-up
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The 2011 pit crew set-up
Renault's V8
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Renault's V8
Renault's V8
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Renault's V8
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rthhd
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rthhd
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View gallery - 22 images

F1 kicked back into life earlier this week with the first official test of the season and the unveiling of most of the 2011 cars, the most significant of which was the Red Bull RB07 – the car that will defend both Sebastian Vettel's drivers title and the energy drink’s very own constructors championship. As is generally the case, Red Bull's public relations output topped the field, and many of the highly informative illustrations in the image gallery come directly from the Red Bull press materials - images explaining the new RB7 changes, the pit crew roles and responsibilities, the 2011 steering wheel, driving position ad infinitum.

The test sessions presently taking place in Valencia, Spain, herald the official start of a new Formula One campaign and Renault will supply not just the title winning Red Bull team with engines again in 2011, but the similarly named Lotus Renault GP and Team Lotus Renault. In supplying 25 per cent of the field for 2011, Renault is going back to its core activity as an engine supplier.

Red Bull's Team Principal, Christian Horner, and Chief Technical Officer, Adrian Newey, spoke to the world’s press in Valencia at the launch of our new car.

“The team’s been very focused on RB7 over the last few months; Adrian didn’t release his drawings any earlier than normal, so the whole design group and production team have done a remarkable job to produce this car in the shortest possible time,” said Christian.

He added: “It’s a long season, the longest in F1 history, and we have some great opponents, but we are very motivated and will be working hard to hold on to the two world titles. I’m sure it’s going to be a fascinating battle.

“It’s a great feeling to arrive here and roll out the car with the number one on it as the reigning World Champions, but now the challenge is to keep it.”

And it certainly will be a challenge thanks to the technical regulation changes introduced by the sport’s governing body for 2011, including the banning of double diffusers, blown rear wings and adjustable front wings, the introduction of adjustable rear wings and, of course, the return of KERS.

“The big challenge for us this year was the reintroduction of the KERS system,” confirmed Adrian.

“It’s always a challenge to find solutions, which don’t compromise the aerodynamics of the car. This season, with McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes all having KERS, we need to get it to work, simply for performance off the line.”

View gallery - 22 images
3 comments
3 comments
Bill Bennett
really did not care anything about the pictures except for the powerplant which looks impressive
Terotech
Perhaps as KERS is a regenerative system it may be logical to limit its use at least until the vehicle has travelled a certain distance in order to build up useable energy. Pre-loading it \"simply for performance off the line\", would make a nonsense of the whole concept.
Gargamoth
Fast, light wieght and close tot he ground, this is how every car should be built, while engineers are still dependant on the ground and until cars are able to fly.