Red Bull RB3

Racing car
Car_name = Red Bull RB3


Category = Formula One
Constructor = Red Bull Racing
Designer = flagicon|UK Adrian Newey
Team = Red Bull Racing
Drivers = 14. flagicon|UK David Coulthard
15. flagicon|Australia Mark Webber
Chassis = Carbon-fibre and honeycomb composite monocoque
Front suspension = Twin-keel double wishbone, pushrod activated torsion bar springing.
Rear suspension = Double wishbone, pushrod activated torsion bar springing.
Engine name = Renault RS27
Capacity = 2400cc
Configuration = V8,
Turbo/NA = naturally aspirated,
Engine position = mid-engine, longitudinally mounted
Gearbox name =
Gears = 7-speed
Type = hydraulic power shift
Differential =
Fuel = Elf
Tyres = Bridgestone
Debut = 2007 Australian Grand Prix
Races = 17
Wins = 0
Cons_champ = 0
Drivers_champ = 0
Poles = 0
Fastest_laps = 0
The Red Bull Racing RB3 is a Formula One racing car produced by Red Bull Racing for the 2007 season. It was the team's first true Adrian Newey-designed car and used Renault RS27 engines, after the team's contract with Ferrari was transferred to the Toro Rosso team.

Controversy

Controversy surrounded the Red Bull and Toro Rosso teams during the 2007 launch season as a row over customer cars erupted. Both Williams and Spyker claimed that the cars of the two teams were identical, having been designed by Red Bull Technology, a third-party subsidiary of the Red Bull parent company. Thus, the teams themselves did not design their respective cars themselves, which Williams and Spyker believed was a breach of F1's Concorde Agreement. The FIA however declared that the cars were legal for 2007. Gerhard Berger, Christian Horner and other Toro Rosso and Red Bull Racing staff have also stated that they had their legal representitives confirm that the cars they were running were legal and that the operations they had set-up (two teams running the same chassis, designed by Red Bull Technology) were legal.Fact|date=September 2007

Performance

The car, in the hands of both Mark Webber and David Coulthard, is seen to have point-scoring pace, high-lighted by Webber's series of top-ten qualifying positions and Coulthard running fastest in the pre-race Barcelona testing. [ [http://www.formula1.com/news/6028.html "Coulthard ends on a high"] - Official Formula One site. Retrieved May 14th 2007.] The design is distinctly Adrian Newey, bearing a resemblance to past cars such as the 2005 McLaren MP4-20. However, like the McLaren, poor reliability and mechanical problems have hampered the drivers on numerous occasions. Problems included things as trivial as faulty brake pedals and [ [http://www.formula1.com/race/news/5914/771.html "Selected Drivers Quotes - Malaysia."] - Official Formula One site. Retrieved May 14th 2007.] notoriously jamming fuel-flaps. However the most pressing reliability issue was the introduction of a seamless-shift gearbox to the car, which resulted in numerous race retirements for both Mark Webber and David Coulthard, such as at the Monaco and Canadian Grands Prix respectively. [ [http://www.f1technical.net/news/5994 "Another Gearbox Problem for Red Bull"] - F1 Technical. Retrieved June 30th 2007.]

Comments made throughout the season stated clearly that the car had much potential, despite David Coulthard's distaste of the word. [F1 Racing Magazine. April 2007.] Towards the middle of the season, after being frustrated by continuous retirements at the expense of championship points, Team Principal Chris Horner put into place a strict and thorough method to deal with and eradicate any mechanical unreliability [F1 Racing Magazine. May 2007.] , which along with the appointment of Geoff Willis (formerly of the Williams and BAR/Honda teams), was expected to provide better results in the 2008 season.

Complete Formula One results

() (results in bold indicate pole position)

References

External links

* [http://www.redbullf1.com Official Website]
* [http://www.manipef1.com/news/2007/index.php?id=184 RB3's Technical Specifications]