Red Bull RB2

History

After the good results of the previous inaugural season, 2006 was a poor season for Red Bull. The year was treated as a consolidation season and proved to be a traditionally tough second year for a new team. The new Ferrari engines caused cooling problems pre-season which saw testing time limited, and for the most part the team were bogged down in the midfield. This situation was exacerbated by RBR abandoning development on the RB2 during the season to let new Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey concentrate on 2007's challenger.

However, there were still highlights in a largely depressing season. Foremost among these was Coulthard scoring the team's first podium at Monaco. As this coincided with a one-race deal to promote the new Superman film, the veteran driver wore a red cape on the podium, and Team Principal Christian Horner later honoured a pre-race promise of jumping into the team's pool wearing nothing but one of the capes.

The team eventually finished seventh in the Constructors' Championship, with 16 points.

Sponsorship and livery

The livery of the RB2 is essentially identical to that of its predecessor, the RB1. The only differences are the reversal of the color scheme of the three side stripes and the removal of the checkered flag motif from the bonnet and the outside of the rear wing side bulkheads. In this last position the motif has been replaced by a continuation of the three aforementioned bands.

For the Monaco Grand Prix the two RB2s compete with a special livery aimed at promoting the release of the film Superman Returns. It varies from the usual one due to the appearance of a red cape, inspired by that of Superman, which starts from the cockpit and wraps around the upper part of the bellies and the rear wing, where, on the outside of the bulkheads, the insignia of Superman. All decorative elements of the original livery are eliminated, except for a gray line on the sides of the survival cell. An image of the Man of Steel's chest also appears on the muzzle. For this race the Red Bull pit crew wore white overalls Among the drivers, Klien wore a blue overall on the day of the race.

Image:David Coulthard USA 2006.jpg|David Coulthard at the 2006 United States Grand Prix. Image:Coulthard cheste 2006-02.jpg|Christian Klien testing at Valencia. Image:Robert Doornbos 2006 Brazil.jpg|Robert Doornbos at the 2006 Brazilian Grand Prix.

Complete Formula One results

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position)

References

References

1. "The Cars".
2. (30 May 2006). "Horner, a Man of His Word". Eurosport.
3. "Images".