Red Bull Racing RB19
| Industry | Formula One racing team |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2005 |
| Headquarters | Milton Keynes , United Kingdom |
Key people | Christian Horner (Team Principal) |
| Products | Formula One cars, including RB19 |
| Parent | Red Bull GmbH |
The Red Bull Racing RB19 is a title-winning Formula One car engineered by Red Bull Racing, equipped with the Honda RBPTH001 hybrid power unit for competition in the 2023 Formula One World Championship. The vehicle was officially revealed in New York City on 3 February 2023 and was piloted by reigning world champion Max Verstappen alongside teammate Sergio Pérez. This model signified Honda's reemergence as a designated engine partner for both Red Bull Racing and AlphaTauri, with engines for both squads carrying the Honda RBPT branding.
The RB19 stands as one of the most commanding machines in Formula One history, securing victory in 21 out of 22 races it participated in, resulting in a winning percentage of 95.45%. This achievement surpasses the McLaren MP4/4’s record of 15 wins in 16 races during the 1988 season. Furthermore, it logged the second highest proportion of laps led within a single season at 86.7% (1,149 laps out of 1,325), trailing only the MP4/4’s exceptional 97.3%. Such results highlight Red Bull Racing’s advanced engineering capabilities and their strong competitive position within the international motorsport arena.
Competitive history
In preseason testing held at the Bahrain International Circuit, the RB19 demonstrated clear advancements compared to its predecessor, the RB18, which had already been highly competitive. Red Bull dominated the timing charts on both day one and day three, with analysts praising the car’s enhanced stability, dependability, and drivability. Max Verstappen, the defending champion, remarked that improvements were noticeable "across all areas."
Opening rounds
Although free practice sessions revealed some balance challenges, the RB19 secured a front-row lockout at the season-opening Bahrain event, with Verstappen claiming pole position and Pérez qualifying second. Verstappen quickly distanced himself from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by nearly a second per lap during the early stages. Pérez was initially instructed to maintain position behind Leclerc to conserve his tyres but overtook him following a pit stop for soft tyres. Despite experiencing downshift complications mid-race, Verstappen maintained control to take a comfortable victory, while Pérez finished second—almost 40 seconds ahead of third-placed Fernando Alonso.
At the Saudi Arabian GP, Red Bull showed strong pace in practice sessions; however, Verstappen encountered a driveshaft failure during Q2 qualifying, relegating him to start from 15th on the grid. Pérez earned pole position for only the second time in his career. Although Pérez lost the lead to Alonso at the race start, he reclaimed it by lap four. Verstappen managed to climb from 15th to finish second despite sensing further potential driveshaft issues. The race concluded with a dominant Red Bull one-two finish: Pérez secured victory while Verstappen took second place and set the fastest lap under team orders to manage race pace.
During the Australian GP, the RB19 faced difficulties, particularly for Pérez who struggled with brake issues and spun during qualifying, resulting in a last-place start after being required to begin from the pit lane due to component replacements. Verstappen achieved pole position despite concerns over gearbox and battery reliability but was overtaken by Mercedes drivers at the first corner. The race was heavily affected by safety car deployments and red flags; nonetheless, Verstappen regained the lead on lap thirteen and held it until the finish line. Pérez recovered through the field to finish fifth, aided by retirements and penalties amid chaotic race restarts.
Mid-season developments
In the four-week interval leading up to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Red Bull unveiled an upgrade package for the RB19, primarily targeting sidepod redesigns to improve airflow towards the car's auxiliary components, cooling systems, and radiators.
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix, conducted under an uncommon sprint weekend format, marked the first occasion where Red Bull was outqualified, with Charles Leclerc clinching pole position, followed by Verstappen in second and Pérez in third. The sprint qualifying session mirrored these results, positioning Pérez on the front row and Verstappen third. Verstappen's sprint race suffered a setback after a collision with George Russell caused damage to his sidepod, resulting in a considerable loss of lap time according to team principal Christian Horner. Nevertheless, Pérez managed to overtake Leclerc to claim victory in the sprint, while Verstappen finished in third place. During the main race, both Red Bull drivers passed Leclerc early on; Pérez retained the lead through strategic pit stops and safety car periods, ultimately winning the race with Verstappen securing second place—this achievement representing Red Bull's third one-two finish of the season.
The effectiveness of the RB19's upgrades was more pronounced at the Miami Grand Prix. Verstappen led the free practice sessions but qualified only ninth due to an untimely red flag caused by Leclerc's crash. Pérez earned pole position and maintained the lead from the start on medium tyres. Starting from ninth, Verstappen advanced to second place through tactical tyre usage and overtaking maneuvers. By extending his stint on hard tyres, Verstappen was able to close in on Pérez and overtake him for the lead on lap 47, resulting in another one-two finish for Red Bull.
At the Monaco Grand Prix, Verstappen dominated practice sessions and narrowly secured pole position ahead of Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon. Pérez experienced an early qualifying exit after crashing at St. Devote corner, which forced him to start from the back of the grid. During the race, he gained only four positions and was further impeded by contact with George Russell amid light rain conditions. Verstappen comfortably took victory ahead of Alonso and Ocon, while Pérez finished two laps behind.