Red Bull Racing last week completed a two-day test at Silverstone, their first run with the new Ferrari V8-powered RB2 chassis. Although the test was not the first for the Ferrari V8 engine, which has already completed a number of circuit kilometers in the back of modified Ferrari F2005 chassis, it marked the debut outing for the Red Bull Racing-Ferrari combination.

With lead driver David Coulthard at the helm, the new car completed a limited number of laps of the 5.141km track over the 15th-16th December, as the team carried out a series of system checks on its new package ahead of its official launch on March 9, 2006. 

David Coulthard said, “Testing the new car today was momentous, as it represents something completely new for the team. The engine was delivered from Italy, but then everything has been built around it, and this was the moment when all the newly created parts came together. The lines of the new car look as though they’ve been inspired by the Formula Unas, it's a very sexy looking thing.” 

“In terms of driving experience, the car performed as expected on track and I’m looking forward to putting it through its paces tomorrow and throughout next year to see what it can do. As soon as you drive a new car you have a new toy to play with, so the old one quickly becomes very un-interesting! Testing a new car can be frustrating at times, as you’re finding out if the new designs are able to withstand intense vibrations and heat. However, when everything works well, it’s incredibly rewarding so it will be good to get back in the car tomorrow. It must be a very proud moment for everyone in the team, as they’ve each played a part in creating something new here.” 

Although this is only a first step, albeit a significant one, in the evolution of the Red Bull Racing-Ferrari partnership, there are a number of indirect links between the two companies. 

The first related to the energy drink manufacturer’s recent acquisition of the old Minardi team and re-branding of it as Scuderia Toro Rosso. Although the two teams are technically separate, the latter remains based in Italy, and in its earlier incarnation as Minardi ran Ferrari V12 engines during the 1991 season, scoring some of its best-ever results in the form of two fourth places for Pierluigi Martini. This represented the first time that Maranello had officially supplied engines to a competitor in Formula 1, although the deal had to be abandoned the following year due to financial constraints. Furthermore, prior to their entry as a constructor, Red Bull were a long-time sponsor of Sauber. The Swiss team, only recently bought out by BMW, retained a long-standing deal (1997-2005) with Ferrari to use their engines under the ‘Petronas’ name.