Red Bull Racing’s History. Part I: Stewart Grand Prix
Published on 10 May 2017 by Mike Motilall
One year ago, it was announced that Max Verstappen was going to be driving for Red Bull Racing, one of the top teams in Formula 1. Shaped out of Stewart and then Jaguar, Red Bull Racing has won the world championship four times in a row after having entered the Formula 1-scene in 2005. They have also been on the top step 52 times. But a lot took place before success came knocking on the door. In a series of five, we will be taking a look at the history of the Milton Keynes based team. Part one will feature the rough start and the glorious end of Stewart Grand Prix.
Stewart Grand Prix is established in 1996 by three time’s Formula 1-world champion Jackie Stewart and his son Paul. The team was born out of Paul Stewart Racing, which was established in 1988. They actively take part in Formula 3 and Formula 3000 and are quite successful at it as well. With great support from car manufacturer Ford, they take a leap into the unknown and are promoted to Formula 1. The drivers are Rubens Barrichello and first-timer Jan Magnussen. The SF01, designed by Alan Jenkins, proved to be a fast car on occasion but it has many reliability issues. Only six times during the entire season, one of the both Stewart-Ford manages to reach the finish line of a Grand Prix. Highlight of the season is Rubens Barrichello’s second place finish in the rained out Grand Prix of Monaco. The six points scored in the Principality, the only ones that year, earn the team a ninth place in the constructor’s championship.
In 1998 there is no progress in sight. Still, reliability issues plague the team and the pace of the car is also not what it should be. Only five points are scored, all in the first half of the season. Jos Verstappen is handed over control of the car from the French Grand Prix onwards. He relieves Jan Magnussen from his duties. The father of the current Formula 1-driver Kevin Magnussen, is not up to par and the race in Canada, where he ironically scores his first point, is the end for the Dane in Formula 1.
After an initial test prior to the race in France, Jos is quite happy about the team: “Of course I am very happy with the decision of the Stewart team. The whole test session was a very good and positive cooperation. I already feel at home with the team. Many of the engineers I know from my Arrows and Benetton time. I have a lot of faith in designer Alan Jenkins, whom I know from my time at Arrows.” Even Jos cannot do much with the difficult Stewart SF02. A twelfth place finish, after his first race with the team, would prove to be his best overall result for the season. He finishes twice as the thirteenth fastest and no less than six dropouts are noted.
Not quite suprisingly, Verstappen and Stewart part ways after the season. Johnny Herbert becomes the new driver, while Jos commits to Honda’s project that had been stopped prematurely. The 1999 season was very successful for Stewart. The SF03 proves to be a very fast machine that can compete with the sub top. In San Marino, Barrichello scores the second podium in history for the team. After which the Brazilian takes the first pole for Stewart in France. He finishes the race in third. At the end of the season, Stewart Grand Prix achieve their best performance by winning the crazy Nurburgring Grand Prix. In a race with changing weather conditions, the favorites falter. With a perfect strategy and a flawless race, Herbert keeps advancing and the Brit surprisingly takes the checkered flag. Barrichello rounds up the party by finishing in third. With 36 points, the team are fourth in the constructor’s championship.
With the success Stewart is having, Ford sees possibilities for a Formula 1-adventure. At the end of the year, it is announced that Ford will take over the team. From 2000 onwards they will be seen on the grid as Jaguar, the name of the sister company. Jaguar’s adventure will be featured in part two of this series of five.
