The team traces its origins to the Stewart Grand Prix outfit, which debuted in 1997. Jackie Stewart sold the team to the Ford Motor Company in late 1999, which rebranded it as Jaguar Racing. In September 2004, Ford put the team up for sale, stating it could no longer make a compelling business case for its brands to compete in Formula One. Red Bull purchased Jaguar Racing on 15 November 2004. BBC Sport reported that Ford requested a symbolic US$1 in exchange for a commitment to invest US$400 million in the team over three Grand Prix seasons.
Red Bull's involvement in the sport preceded this purchase; the company sponsored Gerhard Berger beginning in 1989 and held a long-term partnership with Sauber from 1995 to 2004. Upon acquiring its own team, Red Bull ended its partnership with the Swiss Sauber squad. For the debut 2005 season, owner Dietrich Mateschitz reportedly attempted to recruit Berger to help guide the team, though this did not materialize. Christian Horner was installed as team boss, and the team operated under a British racing licence for its first two years.
In its maiden 2005 season, the team used the RB1 chassis and Cosworth engines. David Coulthard led the driver lineup alongside Christian Klien and Vitantonio Liuzzi. The season was a success compared to its predecessor, as the team amassed 34 points—more than Jaguar had scored in 2003 and 2004 combined. In 2006, the team switched to customer Ferrari engines and hired technical director Adrian Newey and Rob Marshall. Coulthard secured the team's first podium at the Monaco Grand Prix that year.
In 2007, Red Bull officially became an Austrian constructor after receiving an Austrian licence. The team began a long-term engine partnership with Renault that lasted until 2018. During the 2013 season, the team was renamed Infiniti Red Bull Racing after the premium automotive brand became Title Partner and Vehicle Performance Partner.
Red Bull Racing won four successive Drivers' and Constructors' Championship titles between 2010 and 2013, led by Sebastian Vettel. By winning the 2010 title, Red Bull became the first Austrian team to win the championship. Vettel sealed his final title for the team at the 2013 Indian Grand Prix, securing the team's fourth consecutive Constructors' Championship at the same event.
Following a period using Renault engines re-badged as TAG Heuer (2016–2018), the team began a works partnership with Honda in 2019. This collaboration resulted in Max Verstappen winning the World Drivers' Championship in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. The team also secured Constructors' Championship titles in 2022 and 2023. Although Honda officially left the sport after 2021, it continued to supply engines from Japan under Red Bull Powertrains branding.
The team is based in a dedicated facility in the United Kingdom. Red Bull Technology Limited, the parent company, was established to design and build cars for Red Bull Racing and previously for its sister team, Scuderia Toro Rosso. Red Bull Advanced Technologies, the commercial engineering arm, is located in a dedicated facility adjacent to the Formula One factory. This division has worked on projects including the Aston Martin Valkyrie, the IndyCar "aeroscreen" safety device, and the RB17 hypercar.
To support future competitiveness, the team has a new wind tunnel scheduled to be operational by 2026. Starting in 2026, the team will begin a new partnership with Ford Motor Company for power unit development, concluding the long-standing relationship with Honda.
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