General
2010 vs 2020: How do Red Bull compare, ten years on from their first title
Today marks 10 years since Sebastian Vettel won the 2010 Brazilian Grand Prix, the start of back to back wins that would secure him and Red Bull their first World Championship. However, fast forward a decade, and Red Bull have a very different look about them, so how does the team compare ten years apart?
Driver lineup
The most striking change is obviously the driver lineup. Ten years ago Red Bull had arguably the strongest lineup on the grid, with Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber driving the RB6. The pair were in just their second season together, following Vettel's promotion in 2009 to replace the retiring David Coulthard. Their relationship wouldn't get any better and it would reach a breaking point during the 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix, and the 'Multi 21' calamity.
Nowadays the driver lineup has a very different look about it. Max Verstappen is very much number one, and has had three teammates since his promotion in 2016. Daniel Ricciardo left for Renault in 2019, and Pierre Gasly lasted only half a season before Alex Albon, took his seat. The Thai driver is under all sorts of pressure at Red Bull, as he struggles to pick up points at times, let alone contest the podium where Red Bull want him to be.
This is Red Bull's biggest issue at the moment. As talented as Max Verstappen is at extracting the absolute most out of his car he doesn't have someone else picking up podiums, or stealing wins to deal damage to his rivals. And this isn't necessarily his teammate's faults either, because both have proven their talent, Gasly this season with Alpha Tauri, including a victory at Monza and despite his struggles, Alex Albon showed what he was capable of before he got the promotion in August 2019.
In 2010, they had an emerging Sebastian Vettel and the experience of Mark Webber who was in the form of his life as he scored ten podiums including four victories. Albeit, in very different circumstances, Albon's one podium, a P3 finish at Mugello, doesn't stack up very well compared to Webber's form ten years ago.
Although it is not all Gasly's and Albon's fault they haven't taken enough points off the top teams to give Red Bull a fighting chance of making Verstappen World Champion. It is therefore not a surprise to see the likes of Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg linked with that second seat next season, an experienced head to take points off other teams to allow Verstappen to do his thing.
The car
"Randy Mandy" or "Luscious Liz", whatever you want to call it the RB6 was the cream of the crop when it came to setting the pace ten years ago. It set the fastest time in qualifying in 15 of the 19 races, Vettel and Webber claiming ten and five pole positions respectively. Adrian Newey claimed that the car was "probably the car with the most downforce in the history of F1" and before he left in 2014, Vettel said it was his favourite F1 car.
2020's Red Bull, the RB16, is far from the fastest car on the grid. Mercedes are head and shoulders above anyone else and are yet to concede a pole position, not even Max Verstappen has scored one. You could go as far to argue that the RB16 is the third or fourth-best car on the grid, with Racing Point and Renault having strong contenders. But the Dutchman is able to get more than anyone can imagine out of that car. However, in order for him to get the most out of it, the car has to be tuned heavily in his favour which therefore hinders his teammates when the car doesn't suit their driving style.
As well as Verstappen does in the RB16, he still isn't really able to compete with the supremacy of Mercedes. Mercedes' dominance has been stopped just twice this season and it wouldn't be a surprise to see them one-two at every race left this season. From the engine, to the chassis, the Silver Arrows, seem to have an advantage over Red Bull.
Compared to ten years ago, when Mercedes weren't even title challengers, Red Bull comfortably had the best all-round car, with the most downforce on the grid and a competitive Renault engine. No matter how good your lead driver is if the tools at his disposal aren't as good as his rivals, he isn't going to compete.
I would honestly be interested in seeing how Red Bull faired if their car was more balanced and not so heavily in favour of Verstappen. Would their car be good enough if they gave their second driver a car that suited them a bit more and would they take more points off their rivals? Ultimately that isn't going to happen because Red Bull are intent on seeing Max Verstappen become World Champion.
In my opinion, I don't see it happening until they have a more balanced car that suits both drivers. Ten years ago, both Red Bull drivers were able to compete but as it stands only Verstappen is capable of doing so. Even if someone like Perez or Hulkenberg does improve on the work of Gasly and Albon, and who's to say they will, Mercedes are still in a class of their own.
Do you think a more balanced car could help Red Bull's title hopes or is their current approach the way forward? Let us know what you think in the poll below!