Sebastian Vettel's First World Title (2010)

Lore & Background

The RB16 was planned to make its competitive debut at the 2020 Australian Grand Prix, but this was delayed when the race was cancelled and the next three events in Bahrain, Vietnam and China were postponed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The RB16 made its debut at the 2020 Austrian Grand Prix, while the RB16B made its debut at the 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix. The pandemic prompted the delay of technical regulations that had been planned for introduction in 2021. Under an agreement between teams and the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, 2020-specification cars—including the RB16—saw their lifespan extended to compete in 2021, with Red Bull producing an updated chassis called the RB16B, which used Honda's upgraded RA621H power unit.

In Their Own Story

At Yas Marina, the engine note shifted from a mechanical hum to a scream of pure tension. The gap to Alonso felt insurmountable until the strategy board flashed the green light: pit now. As Vettel surged past Webber for second and then Kubica for first on lap 50, the roar of the crowd transformed into a physical force, vibrating through the chassis. The realization hit the cockpit instantly—the title was no longer a mathematical hope but an inevitability.

Reader's Guide

The RB16 featured a narrower nose with two additional inlets at its front, a redesigned barge-board area, smaller side-pod inlets, a large 'cape' element below the nose, raised parts of the rear suspension, two supporting pillars on the rear wing, and a redesigned front multi-link suspension to improve low-speed corner performance. For 2021, Red Bull used its development tokens to change the shape of the gearbox casing, allowing it to rearrange the rear suspension and significantly increase rear downforce. The RA621H engine was Honda's biggest change since 2017, with a more compact camshaft layout placed lower, a different valve angle, shorter cylinder bore spacing, a smaller engine with a lower centre of gravity, and modifications to increase power without decreasing MGU-H output.

Did You Know?

• The RB6 became the first car to win both the Drivers' and Constructors' Championships for Red Bull Racing.
• Sebastian Vettel became the youngest World Drivers' Champion in F1 history at age 23.
• The RB6 won 9 races in the 2010 season, including a dominant run of 5 consecutive victories.